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Yeoville is an
inner city The term inner city (also called the hood) has been used, especially in the United States, as a euphemism for majority-minority lower-income residential districts that often refer to rundown neighborhoods, in a downtown or city centre area. Soc ...
neighbourhood of
Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...
, in the province of
Gauteng Gauteng ( , ; Sotho-Tswana languages, Sotho-Tswana for 'place of gold'; or ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Situated on the Highveld, Gauteng is the smallest province by land area in South Africa. Although Gauteng accounts f ...
,
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
. It is located in Region F (previously Region 8). Originally intended as a "well-to-do" neighbourhood, it instead developed into a white
working class The working class is a subset of employees who are compensated with wage or salary-based contracts, whose exact membership varies from definition to definition. Members of the working class rely primarily upon earnings from wage labour. Most c ...
and
lower middle class In developed nations around the world, the lower middle class is a subdivision of the greater middle class. Universally, the term refers to the group of middle class households or individuals who have not attained the status of the middle or u ...
area as the city expanded northwards and public rail access improved. From the 1920s onwards, it became a significant enclave of
German Jewish The history of the Jews in Germany goes back at least to the year 321 CE, and continued through the Early Middle Ages (5th to 10th centuries CE) and High Middle Ages (c. 1000–1299 CE) when Jewish immigrants founded the Ashkenazi Jewish commu ...
and
Eastern European Jewish The expression ''Eastern European Jewry'' has two meanings. Its first meaning refers to the current political spheres of the Eastern European countries and its second meaning refers to the Jewish communities in Russia and Poland. The phrase 'Ea ...
immigrants.Overview of Yeoville
Brown University. Retrieved on 4 June 2024
It was designated as a "white area" under the
Group Areas Act Group Areas Act was the title of three acts of the Parliament of South Africa enacted under the apartheid government of South Africa. The acts assigned racial groups to different residential and business sections in urban areas in a syste ...
during the
apartheid Apartheid ( , especially South African English:  , ; , ) was a system of institutionalised racial segregation that existed in South Africa and South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1948 to the early 1990s. It was characterised by an ...
era. It became a "grey area" in the 1980s, as a limited number of non-white residents began to rent in the area. From the end of the 1970s, a growing number of night clubs and galleries opened in Yeoville, or relocated from
Hillbrow Hillbrow () is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is known for its high levels of population density, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. It had a large and active Jewish commun ...
. This led to the neighbourhood, becoming the leading nightspot in the city.The white population began to decline in the 1970s, and this
white flight The white flight, also known as white exodus, is the sudden or gradual large-scale migration of white people from areas becoming more racially or ethnoculturally diverse. Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, the terms became popular in the Racism ...
accelerated in the early to mid 1990s, with most residents migrating to the northern suburbs.Touring Yeoville
IFAS-Research. 26 June 2012
Today, it is widely known and celebrated for its diverse, pan-African population but notorious for its high levels of crime, poverty and degradation. It is part of Greater Yeoville, a greater territory combining
Bellevue Bellevue means "beautiful view" in French. Bellevue or Belle Vue may refer to: Places Australia * Bellevue, Queensland * Bellevue, Western Australia * Bellevue Hill, New South Wales Canada * Bellevue, Alberta * Bellevue, Newfoundlan ...
, Bellevue East and Yeoville itself and its size, crime, poverty and population density levels is somewhat comparable to nearby
Hillbrow Hillbrow () is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is known for its high levels of population density, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. It had a large and active Jewish commun ...
. Yeoville is home to Yeoville Boys Primary School, Yeoville Market and Yeoville recreational centre.


History


Founding

Yeoville was proclaimed as a suburb in 1890 (four years after the discovery of gold led to the founding of Johannesburg) by Thomas Yeo Sherwell, who came from
Yeovil Yeovil () is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Somerset, England. It is close to Somerset's southern border with Dorset, west of London, south of Bristol, west of Sherborne and east of Taunton. The population of the bui ...
in the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
.Yeoville, then and now
University of the Witwatersrand. Retrieved on 2 June 2024
The area was advertised as a "sanitarium for the rich" in which the air was purer because it was up on a ridge overlooking the dirty, smoke-filled mining town that had sprung from nothing out of the (then)
Transvaal Transvaal is a historical geographic term associated with land north of (''i.e.'', beyond) the Vaal River in South Africa. A number of states and administrative divisions have carried the name ''Transvaal''. * South African Republic (1856–1902; ...
bushveld. However, the rich did not buy into the suburb. Instead it became a multiclass area, one to which many poorer people living below the ridge in Doornfontein aspired. It was also a place which attracted many of the waves of migrants from abroad that came to South Africa seeking a new life. The area contains diverse architectural styles, in 1904, House Hains was built and designed by James Cope Christie, and it is now a designated provincial heritage site. Beacon Royal was built in 1934 on Grafton Road by Obel & Obel, a pair of Jewish architect brothers, Louis Theodore Obel and Mark Obel, who were also responsible for Astor Mansions and the Circle Court. It has a
blue plaque A blue plaque is a permanent sign installed in a public place in the United Kingdom, and certain other countries and territories, to commemorate a link between that location and a famous person, event, or former building on the site, serving a ...
, recognising its heritage value. Another notable apartment building is Eltruda Court on Kenmere Road. It was designed by architects Gerson Davids and G.K. Haas and completed in 1950.


Jewish community

Since the early 1920s, the suburb was home to a growing and stable community of
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
residents. Yeoville was distinct in that it emerged as an enclave for
German Jewish The history of the Jews in Germany goes back at least to the year 321 CE, and continued through the Early Middle Ages (5th to 10th centuries CE) and High Middle Ages (c. 1000–1299 CE) when Jewish immigrants founded the Ashkenazi Jewish commu ...
immigrants. These immigrants were usually highly-educated, had held top professional positions in
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
. Many also practiced
Reform Judaism Reform Judaism, also known as Liberal Judaism or Progressive Judaism, is a major Jewish religious movements, Jewish denomination that emphasizes the evolving nature of Judaism, the superiority of its Jewish ethics, ethical aspects to its ceremo ...
in Germany, which they introduced to Johannesburg.The Jewish Community of Johannesburg, 1886-1939: Landscapes of Reality and Imagination
University of Pretoria. December 2004
Herbert House on South Street was the first boarding house of the SA Jewish Board of Education. It served Jewish students from country districts and border countries from the 1940s until its closure in 1964. In August 1967, Yeoville Synagogue was the target of a burglary. In the same period, the suburb's
ultra-orthodox Haredi Judaism (, ) is a branch of Orthodox Judaism that is characterized by its strict interpretation of religious sources and its accepted (Jewish law) and traditions, in opposition to more accommodating values and practices. Its members are ...
synagogue was also targeted and the sanctuary was desecrated. The archives were broken into and record books stolen along with other items. By the 1970s, the suburb had a predominantly
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
character, with a number of synagogues in the area and Jewish delicatessens and bakeries in the main business street.
Harry Schwarz Harry Heinz Schwarz (13 May 1924 – 5 February 2010) was a South African lawyer, statesman, and long-time Internal resistance to South African apartheid, political opposition leader against apartheid in South Africa who eventually served as th ...
, a well known Jewish lawyer and politician was Member of Parliament for Yeoville from 1974 to 1991. In 1986,
Tony Leon Anthony James Leon (born 15 December 1956) is a South African politician who served as leader of the opposition from 1999 to 2007 as leader of the Democratic Alliance (DA). He led the DA from its inception in 2000, until his retirement from ...
was elected to the Johannesburg City Council for Yeoville.
Ronnie Kasrils Ronald Kasrils (born 15 November 1938) is a South African politician, former guerrilla and military commander. He served in a number of ministerial posts, including the as Minister for Intelligence Services from 2004 to 2008. He was a member o ...
, a cabinet minister in post-apartheid governments, was also born and raised in the suburb. Kasrils had his
bar mitzvah A ''bar mitzvah'' () or ''bat mitzvah'' () is a coming of age ritual in Judaism. According to Halakha, Jewish law, before children reach a certain age, the parents are responsible for their child's actions. Once Jewish children reach that age ...
at Yeoville Synagogue. The politician
Joe Slovo Yossel Mashel "Joe" Slovo (23 May 1926 – 6 January 1995) was a South African politician and Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist. A Marxist-Leninist, he was a long-time leader and theorist in the South African Com ...
also spent part of his childhood living in Yeoville, having moved from
Doornfontein Doornfontein ( ) is an inner-city suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa, located to the east of the city centre. It is in Region F of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. In the 1930s, it attracted many Jewish immigrants, becoming ...
. Both Kasrils and Slovo attended Yeoville Boys Primary School, as did the cricketer
Ali Bacher Aron "Ali" Bacher (born 24 May 1942) is a former South African Test cricket captain and an administrator of the United Cricket Board of South Africa. Personal life Bacher was born in May 1942 in Roodepoort to Lithuanian-Jewish parents who had m ...
.Walking tour
Wits University. September 2011
The political activists,
Esther Barsel Esther Barsel (born 17 October 1924, in Raguva, Lithuania; died 6 October 2008, in Johannesburg) was a South African political activist and long-standing member of the South African Communist Party (SACP). She was a member of both her local Afri ...
and her husband Hymie Barsel also lived in the suburb. A number of Jewish artists also lived in Yeoville. The singer, Johnny Clegg, grew up in the suburb.
Sinclair Beiles Sinclair Beiles (b. Kampala, Uganda, 1930–2000, Johannesburg) was a South African beat poet and editor for Maurice Girodias at the Olympia Press in Paris. He developed along with William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin the cut-up technique of ...
, a
beat poet The Beat Generation was a literary subculture movement started by a group of authors whose work explored and influenced American culture and politics in the post-World War II era. The bulk of their work was published and popularized by members o ...
settled in Yeoville and was part of the 1980s artistic milieu at the time.Sinclair Beiles
Rhodes University. June 2007
In the 1980s, the area south of Raleigh Street attracted students and those working in the arts. The area north of Raleigh Street was mostly populated by
Orthodox Jewish Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as literally revealed by God on Mount Sinai and faithfully tra ...
families. Synagogues,
Kosher (also or , ) is a set of dietary laws dealing with the foods that Jewish people are permitted to eat and how those foods must be prepared according to Jewish law. Food that may be consumed is deemed kosher ( in English, ), from the Ashke ...
stores and religious schools served this community. For a number of years, the community was also served by
Chabad Lubavitch Chabad, also known as Lubavitch, Habad and Chabad-Lubavitch (; ; ), is a Hasidic dynasty, dynasty in Hasidic Judaism. Belonging to the Haredi Judaism, Haredi (ultra-Orthodox) branch of Orthodox Judaism, it is one of the world's best-known Hasi ...
rabbi, Rabbi Yossie and Rebbetzin Raisy Hecht. Rabbi Yossie, a New York native, was a disciple of the
Rebbe A Rebbe () or Admor () is the spiritual leader in the Hasidic movement, and the personalities of its dynasties.Heilman, Samuel"The Rebbe and the Resurgence of Orthodox Judaism."''Religion and Spirituality (Audio)''. UCTV, 20 Oct 2011. web. ...
Menachem Mendel Schneerson Menachem Mendel Schneerson ( – June 12, 1994; Anno Mundi, AM 11 Nissan 5662 – 3 Tammuz 5754), known to adherents of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement as the Lubavitcher Rebbe or simply the Rebbe, was an American Orthodox rabbi and the most rec ...
.


Post-Union history

In 1939, notable architect,
Harold Le Roith Harold "Harry" Hirsch Le Roith (24 March 1905 – 4 July 1995) was a South African architect. He was a key figure in modern architecture in South Africa in the twentieth century. He is mostly known for designing residential buildings and synagog ...
built the San Remo apartment building in the neighbourhood. It was distinct for its curved staircase and porthole windows. In the 1960s, future president
Nelson Mandela Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela ( , ; born Rolihlahla Mandela; 18 July 1918 – 5 December 2013) was a South African Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist and politician who served as the first president of South Africa f ...
sought refuge at an apartment on Webb Street in Yeoville. As
Hillbrow Hillbrow () is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is known for its high levels of population density, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. It had a large and active Jewish commun ...
entered into a period of decline from the late 1970s, several nightclubs and art galleries relocated to Yeoville. Startup businesses also flourished and the neighbourhood emerged as the main nighttime destination in Johannesburg. However, this came at the expense of existing community shops that were unable to meet the rising rent costs or were converted into cafes and clubs. Shopkeepers on Rocky-Raleigh were also beginning to see a decline in trade as
Sandton Sandton is a financial, commercial and residential area, located in the northern part of the City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality. Formerly an independent municipality, Sandton's name came from the combination of two of its suburbs, Sa ...
developed a commercial centre, attracting shoppers away from the CBD and surrounding neighbourhood. The social makeup included a growing number of artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers, students and political activists. Although the area was designated as a "white area" under the
Group Areas Act Group Areas Act was the title of three acts of the Parliament of South Africa enacted under the apartheid government of South Africa. The acts assigned racial groups to different residential and business sections in urban areas in a syste ...
, it became a "grey area" in the 1980s as coloured, Indian and black people began to move in.MIXED-RACE RESIDENTIAL AREAS IN SOUTH AFRICAN CITIES - URBAN GEOGRAPHICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LATE AND POST-APARTHEID PHASES
''Geographica Slovenica''. Retrieved on 4 June 2024
The trend stemmed from Berea and
Hillbrow Hillbrow () is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is known for its high levels of population density, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. It had a large and active Jewish commun ...
as all three neighbourhoods had surplus of unoccupied apartments. This also occurred in the context of an aging white population, high levels of social mobility among white youth and the cosmopolitan character of Yeoville. Therefore, there was only tepid political resistance from the resident white population to the non-white newcomers. The progressive politics in the neighbourhood and concentration of artists led to levels of racial mixing that were then uncommon in the apartheid era. The Group Areas Act was repealed in 1991, meaning that all race groups could now legally rent or buy property in the neighbourhood. However, Yeoville's position as a premier nighttime spot began to wane in the 1990s as Melville began to attract Yeoville's clientele. The loss of this clientele made the remaining bars and businesses reliant on a clientele more engaged in antisocial behaviour such as crime and excessive drinking. The changing clientele and an increase in poorer residents meant that several established shops and businesses were no longer viable to operate from the neighourhood. Some shops adapted by directing products towards lower income customers. These changes were accompanied by an increase in crime that led to divestment from existing homeowners and leaving the neighbourhood. In 1990, the
National Party National Party or Nationalist Party may refer to: Active parties * National Party of Australia, commonly known as ''The Nationals'' * Bangladesh: ** Bangladesh Nationalist Party ** Jatiya Party (Ershad) a.k.a. ''National Party (Ershad)'' * Californ ...
said that it would not pursue a vacated seat by the Democratic Party in a by-election in Yeoville. At the time, both parties were fearful about the potential electoral success of the Conservative Party. The agreement was made, as the DP incumbent,
Harry Schwarz Harry Heinz Schwarz (13 May 1924 – 5 February 2010) was a South African lawyer, statesman, and long-time Internal resistance to South African apartheid, political opposition leader against apartheid in South Africa who eventually served as th ...
prepared to vacate the seat to take on the role of
South African ambassador to the United States The position of South African ambassador to the United States was first held in March 1949, following the upgrade of South Africa's diplomatic mission to an embassy. The post has been held by many important politicians and was most recently held b ...
. The migration of white residents northwards, that had started in the late 70s, accelerated in the 1990s. In 1991 Yeoville had a white majority (79%), with most residents leaving in the succeeding years. By 1998 the neighourbood had a black majority (84%). In 1995, the murder of a Jamaican restaurateur, Ridley Wright placed increased attention on the presence of drug dealers in the neighbourhood. A significant factor in the decline and divestment in the area has been the decision taken by banks to redline the neighbourhood. In effect, this down not allow 100% bonds for Yeoville businesses and homes. This has led to waning property values. Given the lack of potential investors, some property owners abandoned their vacant buildings. In their absence,
squatters Squatting is the action of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building (usually residential) that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have lawful permission to use. The United Nations estimated in 2003 that there wer ...
have posed as the legitimate owners and charge rent to tenants, while often refusing to maintain the buildings. In 1998, the Yeoville Community Development Forum (YCDF), a forum from the 1970s, was revived to tackle
urban decay Urban decay (also known as urban rot, urban death or urban blight) is the sociological process by which a previously functioning city, or part of a city, falls into disrepair and decrepitude. There is no single process that leads to urban decay. ...
in the neighbourhood. The 1990s were also challenging for the neighbourhood as it experienced the wave of
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...
/
AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
.


Twenty-first century

Since 2000, the population has grown exponentially. This has been driven by the arrival of refugees and immigrants from
Zimbabwe file:Zimbabwe, relief map.jpg, upright=1.22, Zimbabwe, relief map Zimbabwe, officially the Republic of Zimbabwe, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa, between the Zambezi and Limpopo Rivers, bordered by South Africa to the south, Bots ...
,
Mozambique Mozambique, officially the Republic of Mozambique, is a country located in Southeast Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Malawi and Zambia to the northwest, Zimbabwe to the west, and Eswatini and South Afr ...
,
Malawi Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeastern Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over and ...
,
Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
,
Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...
and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...
. South African citizens now account for less than half of the neighbourhood's residents. There have been some signs of recovery in the local housing market. The
redlining Redlining is a Discrimination, discriminatory practice in which financial services are withheld from neighborhoods that have significant numbers of Race (human categorization), racial and Ethnic group, ethnic minorities. Redlining has been mos ...
imposed by the banks was deemed illegal and economic apartheid. This has allowed for the emergence of a black middle class in the area. The
informal economy An informal economy (informal sector or grey economy) is the part of any economy that is neither Taxation, taxed nor monitored by any form of government. Although the informal sector makes up a significant portion of the economies in developin ...
has grown exponentially since the 1990s. A collapse in service delivery, government neglect, corruption,
xenophobia Xenophobia (from (), 'strange, foreign, or alien', and (), 'fear') is the fear or dislike of anything that is perceived as being foreign or strange. It is an expression that is based on the perception that a conflict exists between an in-gr ...
and a consistently high crime rates are some of the primary challenges in the neighbourhood.Crumbling Yeoville — the inner-city Joburg neighbourhood that the government seemingly forgot
''Daily Maverick''. 5 June 2023
The infrastructure challenges include a lack of access to consistent running water, unreliable garbage disposal and a rise in illegal dumping sites. The infrastructure challenges coupled with an increasing population were exacerbated during the
COVID 19 pandemic Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. In January 2020, the disease spread worldwide, resulting in the COVID-19 pandemic. The symptoms of COVID‑19 can vary but often include fever ...
.


Houses of worship

* St Aidan's Anglican Church, Johannesburg, on Regent St, Yeoville * Chassidim Shul, on Joe Slovo Drive *St Mark's Presbyterian Church on Kenmere Rd *St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, on Cavendish Rd. *The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on Hunter Street File:ST Aidan's Church001 (copy).jpg, St Aidan's church File:Chasside Synagogue005.jpg, Chassidim Shul File:St Mark's Persbyterian Church , Yeoville JHF 010.jpg, St Mark's Presbyterian Church


Notable residents

*
Esther Barsel Esther Barsel (born 17 October 1924, in Raguva, Lithuania; died 6 October 2008, in Johannesburg) was a South African political activist and long-standing member of the South African Communist Party (SACP). She was a member of both her local Afri ...
and Hymie Barsel, political activists, lived at 43 Regent Street *
Sinclair Beiles Sinclair Beiles (b. Kampala, Uganda, 1930–2000, Johannesburg) was a South African beat poet and editor for Maurice Girodias at the Olympia Press in Paris. He developed along with William S. Burroughs and Brion Gysin the cut-up technique of ...
, poet, settled in Yeoville later in life * Gloria Bosman, singer *Clive Michael Chipkin, architect, architectural historian and writer, grew up in Yeoville *
Johnny Clegg Jonathan Paul Clegg, (7 June 195316 July 2019) was a South African musician, singer-songwriter, dancer, anthropologist and Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist. He first performed as part of a duo - ''Johnny & Sipho'' - ...
, singer, grew up in YeovilleRemembering the Jewish ‘white Zulu’
''South African Jewish Report''. 18 July 2019
* Sandile Dikeni, poet *
Brenda Fassie Brenda Nokuzola Fassie (3 November 1964 – 9 May 2004) was a South African singer, songwriter, dancer and activist. Affectionately called MaBrrr by her fans, she is also known as the "Queen of African Pop" or the "Madonna of The Townships." Fas ...
, singerThe Rockey road to freedom: An oasis in the madness
''Mail & Guardian''. 24 December 2023
* J. M. Gerald Gordon, architect, had his
Bar Mitzvah A ''bar mitzvah'' () or ''bat mitzvah'' () is a coming of age ritual in Judaism. According to Halakha, Jewish law, before children reach a certain age, the parents are responsible for their child's actions. Once Jewish children reach that age ...
at Yeoville Synagogue * Michael Harmel & Ray Harmel, political activists, lived in Yeoville with their daughter, Barbara before building a family home in The GardensBarbara Harmel — even the children of revolutionaries have childhoods
''The Daily Maverick''. 16 October 2018
*Paul Hirschon, Israeli diplomat, grew up in Yeoville and
Hillbrow Hillbrow () is an inner city residential neighbourhood of Johannesburg, Gauteng Province, South Africa. It is known for its high levels of population density, unemployment, poverty, prostitution and crime. It had a large and active Jewish commun ...
*Ivan Kadey, lead singer in
punk rock Punk rock (also known as simply punk) is a rock music genre that emerged in the mid-1970s. Rooted in 1950s rock and roll and 1960s garage rock, punk bands rejected the corporate nature of mainstream 1970s rock music. They typically produced sh ...
band, National Wake, grew up in Yeoville *
Ronnie Kasrils Ronald Kasrils (born 15 November 1938) is a South African politician, former guerrilla and military commander. He served in a number of ministerial posts, including the as Minister for Intelligence Services from 2004 to 2008. He was a member o ...
, politician, grew up on 20 Raymond Street - Albyn Court *
Sydney Kentridge Sir Sydney Woolf Kentridge SCOB (born 5 November 1922) is a South African-born lawyer, judge and member of the Bar of England and Wales. He practised law in South Africa and the United Kingdom from the 1940s until his retirement in 2013. In S ...
, lawyer, lived in Yeoville and had his Bar Mitzvah at Yeoville Synagogue *
John Matshikiza John Matshikiza (26 November 1954 - 15 September 2008) was a South African actor, director of theatre, poet and journalist. Life and works John Matshikiza was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to Todd Matshikiza – jazz pianist, composer ...
, Actor, journalist, poet and political activist * Sankie Mthembi-Mahanyele, politician, lived on the corner of Regent and Kenmere Street in the 1990s *
Joel Pollak Joel Barry Pollak (born 25 April 1977) is a South African-born American conservative political commentator, writer, radio host, and attorney. He currently serves as the senior editor-at-large for ''Breitbart News''. He attended Harvard College ...
, political commentator, born in Yeoville, before emigrating to the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
with his parents * James Phillips, singer *
Joe Slovo Yossel Mashel "Joe" Slovo (23 May 1926 – 6 January 1995) was a South African politician and Internal resistance to apartheid, anti-apartheid activist. A Marxist-Leninist, he was a long-time leader and theorist in the South African Com ...
, politician, lived at 26a Rockey Street with his parents, opposite their fruit shop. *Fanie de Villiers, writer (publishes as "Kleinboer"), has lived in Yeoville since 1990The 'Kleinboer': One of the last Afrikaans-speaking people in Yeoville
Jacaranda FM. 12 September 2017


References

{{City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality, selected=regf Johannesburg Region F Jews and Judaism in Johannesburg