The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is a Category A municipality that forms the local government of the northern region of the Gauteng Province of South Africa.
Overview
| Type of municipality: | Metropolitan (Category A) |
| Province: | Gauteng |
| Municipal code: | TSH |
| Seat: | Pretoria |
| Wards: | 107 |
| Total area: | 6,298 km² (2,432 square miles) |
| Population: | 4,040,315 (in 2022) |
| Controlling party: | DA/ActionSA/FF Plus/ACDP/UDM/COPE Coalition |
| Mayor: | Dr Nasiphi Moya (ActionSA) |
About
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is geographically situated in the northern part of Gauteng Province and stretches almost 108 kilometres from north to south and 121 kilometres from east to west.
The City of Tshwane is one of 3 metropolitan municipalities in Gauteng Province and one of 8 in the country. The other metropolitan municipalities in the country are the City of Ekurhuleni, the City of Johannesburg, the City of Cape Town, Nelson Mandela Bay, Buffalo City, eThekwini, and Mangaung.
The word Tshwane means ‘we are the same’ in Setswana.
A second theory argues that the name is derived from the original name given to the river that flows through the area by the first Nguni-speaking settlers (later known as the Ndebele) who lived in the east of Pretoria in the late 1700s or early 1800s. They named the river after the son of one of their chiefs, Tshwane, from the Ndebele word for “little monkey”.
This word might then have been translated into the Afrikaans equivalent of apies (apes), the name that the Afrikaners gave to a local river in Pretoria, the Apies River.
The administrative headquarters/seat of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is in Pretoria, which is also the administrative capital of South Africa.
Pretoria has the world’s second-largest number of embassies after Washington, D.C. as several foreign embassies call this city their home. The Union Buildings house the country’s administrative hub and have been the setting for presidential inaugurations since South Africa’s first democratic elections in 1994. These sandstone buildings offer beautiful views over the City.
The City of Tshwane covers an area of 6,298 km² (2,432 square miles) making it the largest metropolitan municipality in Gauteng Province and the second-largest in the country.
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is bordered by:
- The City of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality to the south
- The City of Johannesburg Metropolitan Municipality to the south
- West Rand District Municipality to the southwest
- Bojanala Platinum District Municipality in the North West to the west
- Waterberg District Municipality in Limpopo to the north
- Nkangala District Municipality in Mpumalanga to the east and northeast
The City of Tshwane is also known as the “Jacaranda City” given the canopy provided by the over 70,000 Jacaranda trees which form a tourist attraction in blossom season, from late September to early December. Some of the oldest Jacarandas in Pretoria can be found around Bosman and Cilliers Streets, where some of the first Jacaranda trees in the city were planted.
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is easily accessible via National and Regional infrastructure including the N1, N2, N14, and R21, Wonderboom National Airport, OR Tambo and Lanseria International Airports.
The City of Tshwane is the only metropolitan municipality in Gauteng Province that borders 3 provinces. The City borders North West Province in the west, Limpopo Province in the north, and Mpumalanga Province in the east.
The linkages between the 3 provinces are facilitated through key national routes. The N1 to Limpopo forms the north-south link through the City of Tshwane. The N4 corridor between Mpumalanga and North West provinces forms the east-west linkages through the City of Tshwane.
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality has the highest concentration of medical institutions per square kilometre in South Africa. It is also the knowledge, research, and development capital of the country.
Approximately 53% of transport equipment exported from South Africa originates in the City of Tshwane.
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality has 2 traditional councils and is the only municipality in Gauteng with traditional leadership.
History
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality was established on 5 December 2000, through the integration of various municipalities and councils that had previously served the greater Pretoria area and surrounding areas.
The City of Tshwane’s boundary was further amended in May 2008 through a proclamation in the Government Gazette which incorporated the former Metsweding District Municipality, including Nokeng tsa Taemane and Kungwini (Bronkhorstspruit), into the borders of the City.
This incorporation, which gave birth to the new City of Tshwane in May 2011 after the local government elections, was in line with the Gauteng Global City Region Strategy to reduce the number of municipalities in Gauteng.
The City of Tshwane’s rich and colourful heritage is reflected in its myriad of monuments, museums, and historical buildings, and is punctuated by contemporary arts and crafts markets, bringing the City alive with a unique blend of new and old.
The Science and Technology Museum in Pretoria offers a tactile experience of science at work. The South African Mint has a minting press dating back to 1892 that is still in operation.
Regions
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality has historically developed around the vicinity of Pretoria; thus, its concentration areas are in the CBD area and its western parts.
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is divided into 7 regions namely;
- Region 1 is situated in the northwestern part of the metropolitan area
- Region 2 is located in the northern part of the metropolitan area
- Region 3 is situated in the western part of the metropolitan area
- Region 4 is situated in the south-western portion of the metropolitan area
- Region 5 is situated in the northeastern part of the metropolitan area
- Region 6 is situated in the southern part of the metropolitan area
- Region 7 is situated in the eastern part of the metropolitan area
Map
Population
According to the South African National Census of 2022, the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality has a population of 4,040,315 residents, compared to 3,275,152 in 2016, and 2,921,488 in 2011.
The municipality has a population growth per annum of 3.15%.
According to the 2022 Census, 23% of the population is aged under 15, 70.9% is between 15 and 64, and 6.1% is over 65.
The biggest share of the population is concentrated in Region 1 (Ga-Rankuwa, Soshanguve, Mabopane, Rosslyn), followed by Region 6 (Eersterust, Lethabong, Mamelodi, Silver Lakes, Garsfontein) and Region 3 (Pretoria CBD, Hercules, Danville, Atteridgeville, Laudium, Saulsville, Lotus).
Racial makeup
According to the 2022 Census, 82.8% of the population in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality describe themselves as Black African, 13.4% as White, 1.8% as Coloured, and 1.7% as Indian/Asian.
Languages
According to the 2022 Census, the first language of 28.4% of the population is Sepedi, while 25.7% speak Afrikaans, 24.7% speak Setswana, 11.7 speak Xitsonga, 10.4% speak English, and 26.7% speak other languages.
Economy
The main economic sectors of the City are general government, finance, insurance, real estate and business services, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, catering and accommodation, transport, storage and communication, community, social and personal services, construction, electricity, gas and water, mining and quarrying, agriculture, forestry and fishing.
Municipal council and management
A 214-member city council governs the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
Of the 224 council members, 107 are elected by first-past-the-post voting in 107 wards, while the remaining 107 are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.
No party obtained a majority of seats on the council in the 2021 South African municipal election.
The table below shows the council makeup after the 2021 Municipal Elections.
| Controlling Party | DA/ActionSA/FF Plus/ACDP/UDM/COPE Coalition |
| Composition of Council (No. of seats by political party) | – ANC: 75 – DA: 69 – EFF: 23 – ACTIONSA: 19 – VF PLUS: 17 – ACDP: 2 – AIC: 1 – ATM: 1 – COPE: 1 – DOP: 1 – GOOD: 1 – IFP: 1 – PA: 1 – PAC: 1 – RC: 1 |
| Executive Mayor | Dr Nasiphi Moya |
| Deputy Executive Mayor | Eugene Modise (ANC) |
| Speaker | Mncedi Ndzwanana |
| Chief Whip | Christo van den Heever |
| Other Council Members | – Frans Boshielo (MMC: Utility Services) – Coetzee (MMC: Community Safety) – Sarah Mabotsa (MMC: Economic Development and Spatial Planning) – Aaron Maluleka (MMC: Housing and Human Settlements) – Tshegofatso Mashabela (MMC: Health) – Eugene Modise (MMC: Finance) – Palesa Modise (MMC: Community and Social Development Services) – Tlangi Mogale (MMC: Roads and Transport) – Kholofelo Morodi (MMC: Corporate and Shared Services) – Obakeng Ramabodu (MMC: Environment and Agriculture Management) |
| Municipal Manager | Johann Mettler |
| Chief Financial Officer | Trevor Gareth Mnisi |
| Senior Management | – Tiyiselani Babane (Group Head: Secretariat of Council) – Sello Chipu (Acting Group Head: Housing) – Previn Govender (Chief of Emergency) – Jordan Griffiths (Chief of Staff) – Nosipho Hlatshwayo (Group Head: City Strategy and Organisational Performance) – Daryl Johnston (Utilities and Regional Operations) – Musa Khumalo (Group Head: Shared Services) – Adv Marna Kock (Group Head: Group Legal and Secretariat Services) – Mthobeli Kolisa (Group Head: Agriculture and Environmental Management) – Pheko Letlonkane (Group Head: Roads and Transport) – Victor M Letshwiti (Acting Group Head: Group Human Capital Management) – Makgorometje Makgata (Group Head: Economic Development and Spatial Planning) – Tich Mekhoe (Group Head: Community and Social Development Services) – Nonto Memela (Group Head: Housing and Human Settlement) – Bongani Mntambo (Acting Group Head: Roads and Transport) – Verusha Morgan (Group Head: Group Property Management) – Nasiphi Moya (Group Head: Office of the Chief Whip) – Patrick Mphahlele (Acting Group Head: Agriculture and Environmental Management) – James Murphy (Chief Operations Officer) – Mncedi Ndzwanana – Koena Nkoko (Group Head: Health) – Johannah Nkomo (Chief of Police) – Zukiswa Ntsikeni (Group Head: Customer Relations Management) – Phillip Moeketsi Ntsimane (Chief Audit Executive) – Cali Phanyane (Group Head: Regional Operations and Coordination) – Dr Rajendra Pillay (Group Head: Office of the Speaker) – Thandi Radebe (Acting Group Head: Customer Relations Management) – Justice Sefanyetso (Director: Private Office of the Speaker) – Gerald Shingange (Group Head: Group Human Capital Management) – Gadner Tefu (Group Head: Office of the Chief Whip) – Lorette Tredoux (Governance and Support Officer) |
| Communications Officers | – Zintle Mahlati – Hilgard Matthews (Group Head: Communication, Marketing and Events) – Sipho Stuurman |
Towns/Places
Below are some towns/places in the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality.
- Akasia
- Atteridgeville
- Bronkhorstspruit
- Centurion
- Cullinan
- Ekangala
- Ga-Rankuwa
- Garsfontein
- Hammanskraal
- Irene
- Kudube
- Mabopane
- Mamelodi
- Pretoria
- Pretoria North
- Rayton
- Refilwe
- Roodeplaat
- Soshanguve
- Temba
- Winterveldt
Contact details
The contact details of the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality are listed in the table below.
| Postal address: | PO Box 440, Pretoria, 0001 |
| Physical address (Headquarters): | Tshwane House, 320 Madiba Street, Pretoria Central |
| City of Tshwane (call center): | 012 358 9999 |
| Toll free (call center): | 080 111 1556 |
| Fax: | 086 214 9544 |
| Email: | customercare@tshwane.gov.za |
| Website: | www.tshwane.gov.za |
| Emergency services: | 107 |
| Tshwane Metro Police: | 012 358 7095 / 012 358 7096 |
| Tshwane Bus Services: | 012 358 0839 / 012 358 0840 |
| Tshwane Environmental Health Services: | 012 358 4656 or 012 358 2111 (after hours) |
