Daveyton is a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, ...

in the

Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality The City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality is a metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of the East Rand region of Gauteng. The municipality itself is a large suburban region east of Johannesburg. The name ''Ekurhuleni' ...

Gauteng Gauteng ( ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. The name in Sotho-Tswana languages means 'place of gold'. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts for only ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring coun ...

. It borders Etwatwa to the north-east, Springs to the south and Benoni to the south-west. The nearest town is Benoni, which is approximately 18 kilometres away. Daveyton was established in 1952, and named after William Albert Davey, the Mayor of Benoni from 1951 to 1953.Who's Who of Southern Africa, including Mauritius, 1976. The Argus Printing and Publishing Co. Johannesburg, 1976 pg 235. Daveyton achieved municipal status in 1983. Numerous civic and youth organizations operated in the township since 1980, such as the East Rand Peoples Organisation, the Daveyton Students Congress Peoples Party, the Sinaba Party, Daveyton Peoples Party and the Daveyton Youth Council. The East Rand Peoples Party and Daveyton Students Congress were affiliates of the United Democratic Front. Chris Hani led his last March from Daveyton to Modderbee Prison.

Culture and lifestyle

Daveyton is home to multiple musicians, radio DJs, actors and event brands. Including the likes of Lerato "Lira" Molapo,

Lebo Mathosa Lebogang Precious Mathosa (17 July 1977 – 23 October 2006) was a South African kwaito singer. Mathosa started her career as a founding member of the popular South African band Boom Shaka in 1994 at the age of 17, after she caught the eye of m ...

, Victor Ndlazilwane (Jazz Ministers),Rhoo Hlatshwayo, Percy Mtwa, Jst Sako,

Young Stunna Sandile Msimango, popularly known by his stage name Young Stunna is a South African singer. He is known for his hit singles "Bopha" and "Adiwele". He has also extensively worked with record producers DJ Maphorisa and Kabza De Small. Education H ...

and Gauteng Music Academy.

Soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...

is the most popular sporting code in the township. Therefore, multiple tournaments are held during the festive season. Namely, the Ibhola Lethu tournament at Mabuya ground, organised by the community, and the Pollen Festive Games, organised by South African soccer legend

Pollen Ndlanya Pollen Ndlanya (born 22 May 1970 in Daveyton) is a retired South African footballer who played as a striker. He played for Kaizer Chiefs, Manning Rangers, Bursaspor, Göztepe, Amazulu and Orlando Pirates. He also played for South Africa natio ...

. It is also the birthplace of some of the country's professional soccer players, like

Jabu Pule Jabu Jeremiah Mahlangu (formerly Jabu Jeremiah Pule) (born 11 July 1980 in Daveyton, Gauteng) is a retired South African football (soccer) midfielder who last played for Supersport United. Club career South Africa Pule's first club was Kaize ...

, Sbusiso Mahlangu, Junior Khanye and Clement Mazibuko,

Katlego Mashego Katlego "Mahoota" Mashego (born 18 May 1982 in Bushbuckridge, Mpumalanga) is a South African professional football (soccer) striker who most recently played for Premier Soccer League side Chippa United. He represented the South Africa nationa ...

, Musa Nyatama, Xolani Mdaki, Sbusiso Mxoyana and Sbusiso Masina. The township has garnered popularity for its vibrant nightlife and boasts a broad catalogue of pubs, taverns and lounges. Including the likes of Twotone Lounge, Brima Cafe, Xception, DKNY and Pule Chesanyama. Uzwano Embroidery and Printing remains the only embroidery service in Daveyton, serving mostly churches, schools, social clubs, stokvels/society groups as well as up and coming young entrepreneurs. Their services have resulted in the creation of successful clothing brands, namely; LXCVL (LOCAL), KOTA Gear, lepara apparels, Sho Pop, Dot Mark and many, many more other clothing brands. This has resulted in the creation of sustainable jobs in the township. Daveyton has a

golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". ...

that has been operating for more than 19 years, funded by the world-renowned golfer, Ernie Els. Other notable establishments in the area are the Ekurhuleni Metro Police Department (EMPD) offices, the Ekurhuleni Customer Care Centre, the Daveyton and Mokoka libraries, as well as the Ekurhuleni East College, Daveyton Campus (formerly known as Isidingo College). It also boast one of the biggest arts centre in Ekurhuleni, the old brewery which was converted into an art centre. With the approval of the Provincial Government in the 1970s, Daveyton began using vintage

Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ou ...

Kommando and Constantia vehicles as modes of public transportation. They are commonly called ''amaPhela'' ('cockroaches') because they were so common in the streets of Daveyton. Hence, Daveyton was dubbed the "Chevrolet Township of South Africa". Though the use of these vehicles has been superseded by the modern, fuel efficient

Toyota Avanza The Toyota Avanza and Daihatsu Xenia are cars developed by Daihatsu and marketed by both Toyota and Daihatsu. It is a multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) and mainly sold with three-row seating. The Avanza and Xenia were developed as an entry-level ...

, there are still a few classic cars in Daveyton. It is also recognized as the home of KOTA, South Africa’s distinctive genre of street sandwiches in which a hollowed-out loaf serves as a portable, edible container for everything and anything polony, slaptjips, Russian sausages and fried eggs.

In the media

* '' Bopha!'' is a 1986 play by Percy Mtwa which was later adapted to film. The African-American filmmaker and actor Morgan Freeman directed the film, which also starred Danny Glover. The film was shot in Daveyton. *''

Yizo Yizo ''Yizo Yizo'' is a South African television drama series which aired from 1999 to 2004 on SABC 1. Synopsis The series was set in a fictional school, Supatsela High, in a township of Johannesburg. In the first series, the school's dictatorial prin ...

'', an uncompromising television drama series, was set in Daveyton with Davey Secondary being the fictitious Supatsela High School. The show achieved record-breaking audience ratings and cult status amongst South Africa's youth. It was directed by Teboho Mahlatsi and Angus Gibson and produced by Desiree Markgraaff. *The infamous murder of Mido Macia, a Mozambican taxi driver, took place in Daveyton.

References

{{Authority control Townships in Gauteng East Rand Populated places in Ekurhuleni