Most people arriving by air in South Africa will arrive first in the region of Eastern Gauteng. This is where the Oliver Tambo International Airport is situated in the town of Kempton Park which is a largely industrialized suburb of light and heavy industry attracted by the proximity to the airport.

Like the rest of the Gauteng area, the East Rand (as it was known) owes its existence to the coal and gold deposits that were discovered beneath the soil. Along with the mining activities, these places developed into dormitory towns for the ever expanding city of Johannesburg linked by a impressive system of freeways.

The main towns in Eastern Gauteng that are now an integral part of the greater Gauteng metropolitan region include Kempton Park, Germiston, Benoni, Isando, Springs, Brakpan, Edenvale and Boksburg.