A number of well-known public figures, mostly musicians call Zola their home and were born and bred there.

It is surrounded by the townships of Tladi, Naledi, Dobsonville, Emndeni, Jabulani and Moletsane.

Kwaito music Legends Mdu Masilela, Mandoza, Mshoza, Mzambiya, Brown Dash, Brickz, Kwaito group Chiskop, Mapaputsi, and Zola were all born in Zola.

Soccer legends like Shoes of Orlando Pirates, Ace Mnini of Moroka Swallows, and Ree Skhosana of Moroka Swallows were all from Zola.

Zola is one of the most popular townships in Soweto and famous throughout South Africa for its notorious gangsters in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.