According to the organisation, the objective of their programme is to achieve a clearer history of Springs, one that is backed by facts.
Chairman of the organisation, Mandla Phakathi, says in 1858, the Daggafontein Mine, the East Daggafontein Mine and other nearby mines were surrounded by squatters who came looking for work.
The informal settlement did not have a name until around 1878 when the name Jabavu was given to the area by the squatters themselves.
He says the name was given in honour of the then political activist, co-founder of Fort Hare University and the first editor of the Xhosa newsletter, Isigidimi samaXhosa, John Tengo Jabavu.
“The squatters were from all over South Africa and neigbouring countries and were of all ethnic groups.
“The Jabavu area supplied the Daggafontein Mine, the East Daggafontein Mine and other nearby mines with labourers.
“The squatters founded a movement called Sofa Sonke Squatters Movement in around the 1940s,” says Phakathi.
He says the purpose of that movement was to fight the government to provide formal settlements to people, but instead the government responded by relocating people from the area.
“The first group was temporarily relocated in around 1940 to Black Fields, which is today called Newtown, in Johannesburg, and then relocated to Soweto to form Orlando, Moroka and Central Western Jabavu in 1944.
“The second group was relocated under the Group Areas Act to form White City in KwaThema in 1956 and other areas where also formed in Daveyton and Tembisa.
“The name White City is a translation of the Xhosa word, Mzimhlophe,” he says.
During the 1960s, the Daggafontein Mine was emptied and the remainder of Jabavu still remains in the Largo area near Springs.
This was the first area that had people of all cultures living in the same location without being grouped according to race.
Some of the pioneers from this area include Lucas Sithole, a sculptor, Joseph Mkhonza, who is former Banyana Banyana coach, Auntie Nyathela, a political activist, actress Masabatha Japhta and Theo Nhlengethwa, who is a singer.
According to the 2010 census results, the area had a population of 11 356, 51 streets, 2135 households, four primary schools and one HIV/Aids centre.
