| Thembisa | |
| Other Name: | Tembisa |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Gauteng#South Africa#Africa |
| Coordinates: | -26.0055°N 28.2102°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Gauteng |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Ekurhuleni |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1957 |
| Leader Party: | ANC |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 42.80 |
| Population Total: | 463109 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 98.9% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 0.2% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 0.1% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.7% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Northern Sotho |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 33.1% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Zulu |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 21.7% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Tsonga |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 13.3% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 7.0% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 24.9% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 1632 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 1628 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 011 |
Thembisa, formerly Tembisa,[2] is a large township situated to the north of Kempton Park on the East Rand, Gauteng, South Africa. It was established in 1957 when black people were resettled from Alexandra and other areas in Edenvale, Kempton Park, Midrand and Germiston.
The township was formed in 1957, under the administration of the Germiston city council which oversaw the forced relocation of black people from locations deemed to be in white areas, such as Dindela, Tikkieline, Phelindaba, and Modderfontein which spanned Edenvale, Modderfontein and Kempton Park.[3] It is the second largest township in Gauteng, following Soweto.[4]
In 1977 the government initiated the Community Councils and in 1982 upgraded them to Town Councils, under the Black Local Authorities Act. The government vested limited powers on these councils but without financial muscle. Therefore, to raise revenue for purposes of developing the townships, the councils increased rent and service charges. This caused the residents in different townships, including Thembisa, to establish civic structures to resist the rent and service charge increases.[5]
On 26 July 2016, residents were caught off guard when a tornado hit the area. The twister started in Kempton Park and moved over to Thembisa. Around 20 individuals were seriously injured and in excess of 400 were left destitute. A standout amongst the most noticeable sights was the damage caused to the Phumulani Mall, where the rooftop crumbled after the tornado passed through it.[6]
In early 2020, the township was renamed from "Tembisa" to "Thembisa", although the Minister of Arts had approved the rename earlier in 2016.[7]
Thembisa is connected to Pretoria in the north and Kempton Park in the south via two main roads, namely the M57 metropolitan route and the R21 highway, both bypassing Thembisa to the east.[8]
The northern part of Thembisa is connected to Midrand in the west by the R562 route (Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Road). The R562 forms the boundary between Thembisa and Olifantsfontein (Clayville).
The main route through the Thembisa town centre is the M18 route, which is formed by two roads (Andrew Mapheto Drive and Reverend RTJ Namane Drive). It connects Thembisa with Olifantsfontein and Centurion in the north and with Chloorkop (near Kempton Park West) in the south-west.
The main Metrorail route between Pretoria in the north and Johannesburg via Germiston in the south has a station in Thembisa east, namely the Oakmoor station. Just south of the Oakmoor station is a branch rail which heads north-west into the township, with the stations on the branch rail being Thembisa in the east, Limindlela in the center and Leralla in the west.