History
Kempton Park was established in 1903, named after the Kempton Park racecourse in England, by a Scottish property developer who subdivided farmland adjacent to the newly constructed road between Johannesburg and Pretoria. The town grew as a residential overspill for Johannesburg's East Rand industrial areas through the 20th century. The construction of Jan Smuts Airport — renamed OR Tambo International Airport in 2006 after the ANC president Oliver Tambo — transformed the economy of the surrounding area, generating enormous logistics and services employment.
What Kempton Park is Known For
Kempton Park is best known internationally as the location of OR Tambo International Airport, the busiest airport in Africa by passenger numbers and the continent's primary international aviation hub. The Kempton Park Conference Centre was the site of the CODESA negotiations from 1991 to 1992 at which the end of apartheid and the transition to democracy was negotiated — a landmark in South African history. The Springs Road commercial corridor is one of the East Rand's busiest retail strips.
Key Areas & Neighbourhoods
The Kempton Park CBD around Voortrekker Road is a standard South African commercial centre. Edleen and Norkem Park are established middle-class residential suburbs. Birchleigh and Birchleigh North are more modern residential developments. Tembisa, one of the largest townships in Gauteng, lies just north of Kempton Park. The airport precinct and the industrial areas around Isando and Spartan are the logistics and freight core of the economy.
Economy & Industry
Kempton Park's economy is dominated by the airport-related economy — Isando, Spartan, and Pomona are major logistics, warehousing, and freight handling hubs that employ thousands. OR Tambo generates enormous indirect employment in hotels, car rental, catering, and ground handling. The residential retail sector serves a large local population. Kempton Park has attracted significant cold storage and food logistics investment due to its proximity to the airport's cargo terminals.
Tips for Visitors & New Residents
OR Tambo International Airport is in Kempton Park — understanding the routes to the airport from different parts of Gauteng is essential for residents who travel frequently. The Gautrain Airport station provides rail connections to Sandton and Pretoria, which is the fastest option during peak hours. Traffic around the airport precinct can be severely congested, particularly on Friday afternoons and Sunday evenings. Kempton Park residential areas offer significantly lower property prices than the Johannesburg northern suburbs for similar-sized homes.