MunicipalitiesSA

City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality

CPT Metropolitan Western Cape Governed by DA

4 772 846 Population Census 2022
2 441 Square kilometres 1 955.3 per km2
1 452 845 Households
231 Council seats

City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality is one of South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities, the category reserved for the country’s largest urban centres, and it governs 2 441 square kilometres of Western Cape. It takes in 43 recognised towns and settlements, among them Athlone, Atlantis, Belhar, Bellville, Blackheath, Blouberg, Blue Downs, Brackenfell.

Census 2022 counted 4 772 846 residents, making it the 1st most populous of the 30 municipalities in Western Cape and 2nd of 257 nationally. That works out to 1 955.3 people per square kilometre. That is dense urban settlement. There are 1 452 845 households, averaging 3.3 people each. 22.4% of residents are under 15 and 6.7% are over 65. Among residents aged 20 and over, 20.0% hold a higher education qualification and 1.9% have had no schooling.

The council has 231 seats across 17 parties, with DA holding the largest share at 134 seats (58.0%). DA governs the municipality. Mr Geordin Hill-Lewis serves as executive mayor (DA), and Mr Lungelo Mbandazayo is municipal manager.

On this site’s financial health measure, which weighs the Auditor-General’s opinion alongside operating margin, liquidity, cash cover and irregular spending, Cape Town scores 81.1 out of 100 for 2024/25, a grade of B, described as sound. Its most recent audit outcome was recorded as “financially unqualified”. In 2024/25 it reported R67.5 billion in operating revenue against R64.4 billion in expenditure, an operating surplus of R3.1 billion. At the last census, 85.4% of households had piped water inside the dwelling, 96.7% used electricity for lighting and 90.2% had refuse removed weekly.

Council and management

Seats: Electoral Commission, 2021 local government elections

  • DA 134
  • ANC 43
  • EFF 10
  • GOOD 9
  • CCC 7
  • ACDP 6
  • PA 5
  • VF PLUS 4
  • ALJAMA 3
  • CAPEXIT 2
  • ARA 2
  • DIP 1
  • CMC 1
  • PAC 1
  • UDM 1
  • UIM 1
  • AIC 1

Office bearers

Executive Mayor Mr Geordin Hill-Lewis DA
Deputy Mayor Mr Eddie Andrews (Spatial Planning and Environment Portfolio) DA
Speaker Ms Felicity Purchase DA
Chief Whip Ms Desiree Visagie
Municipal Manager Mr Lungelo Mbandazayo City Manager
Chief Financial Officer Mr Kevin Jacoby Executive Director: Finance
Mayoral Committee Mr Carl Pophaim MMC: Human Settlements
Mayoral Committee Ms Francine Higman MMC: Community Services and Health
Mayoral Committee Mr Grant Twigg MMC: Urban Waste Management
Mayoral Committee Mr James Vos MMC: Economic Growth
Mayoral Committee Mr JP Smith MMC: Safety and Security
Mayoral Committee Mr Roberto Quintas MMC: Urban Mobility
Mayoral Committee Mr Siseko Mbandezi MMC: Finance
Mayoral Committee Ms Theresa Uys MMC: Corporate Services
Mayoral Committee Ms Xanthea Limberg MMC: Energy
Mayoral Committee Mr Zahid Badroodien MMC: Water and Sanitation
Senior Management Mr Ernest Sass Executive Director: Corporate Services
Senior Management Mr Gareth Morgan Executive Director: Future Planning and Resilience
Senior Management Mr Jason Mc Neil Executive Director: Urban Waste Management
Senior Management Mr Kadri Nassiep Executive Director: Energy
Senior Management Mr Leonardo Manus Executive Director: Water and Sanitation
Senior Management Ms Nolwandle Gqiba Executive Director: Human Settlements
Senior Management Mr Regan Melody Executive Director: Urban Mobility
Senior Management Mr Rob McGaffin Executive Director: Spatial Planning and Environment
Senior Management Ms Ruby Leoni Gelderbloem Executive Director: Economic Growth
Senior Management Mr Vincent Botto Executive Director: Safety and Security
Senior Management Ms Zukiswa Mandlana Executive Director: Community Services and Health
Communications Mr Luthando Tyhalibongo Manager: Media
Communications Ms Priya Reddy Director: Communication

Finances

National Treasury, audited outcomes

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
AUDIT OUTCOMEFinancially unqualifiedClean auditClean auditClean auditFinancially unqualified

Financial performance

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Property rates12 786 37811 981 35111 557 56310 651 82910 275 271
Service charges31 816 62728 508 18323 694 10622 981 47320 275 960
Investment revenue1 581 6821 593 2861 454 621978 894900 467
Transfers recognised - operational6 957 7706 719 7796 254 1115 821 5828 388 168
Other own revenue14 329 36813 038 88811 454 07011 377 2973 636 671
Total Revenue (excluding capital transfers and contributions)67 471 82461 841 48754 414 47051 811 07543 476 537
Employee costs18 639 55617 201 03015 336 14315 312 38915 179 277
Remuneration of councillors185 833183 030176 064165 163166 417
Depreciation and amortisation3 724 9663 436 4763 270 4802 968 1422 938 524
Finance charges847 514829 972772 433776 622831 478
Inventory consumed and bulk purchases23 478 69720 655 33417 546 77417 358 64611 466 886
Transfers and subsidies354 016326 622343 905364 175346 050
Other expenditure17 126 43616 035 95015 306 37313 652 51212 464 518
Total Expenditure64 357 01858 668 41352 752 17350 597 64743 393 150
Surplus/(Deficit)3 114 8063 173 0751 662 2971 213 42883 387
Transfers and subsidies - capital (monetary allocations)2 612 5222 535 5482 175 9651 703 5791 801 212
Transfers and subsidies - capital (in-kind)8981177 714487 608
Surplus/(Deficit) after capital transfers & contributions5 728 2265 708 7403 845 9762 917 0551 892 207
Share of surplus/(deficit) of associate-----
Surplus/(Deficit) for the year5 728 2265 708 7403 845 9762 917 0551 892 207

Capital expenditure & funds sources

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Capital expenditure9 323 4049 414 3186 925 1863 707 4014 973 389
Transfers recognised - capital2 541 3662 579 5172 175 965735 457845 883
Borrowing5 522 4422 544 4861 758 326787 095-116 095
Internally generated funds1 259 7804 289 7802 989 9162 083 1023 987 028
Total sources of capital funds9 323 5879 413 7836 924 2083 605 6544 716 815

Financial position

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Total current assets25 696 24822 519 61720 402 20317 317 12116 338 731
Total non current assets76 335 65870 813 81866 319 45663 374 34560 491 653
Total current liabilities15 086 57915 154 13812 285 14510 295 7588 006 706
Total non current liabilities13 476 87410 384 53212 293 10512 123 46613 828 143
Community wealth/Equity67 831 47462 103 64458 322 38255 406 54353 026 427

Cash flows

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Net cash from (used) operating13 402 9697 918 7052 182 64483 383 57840 640 237
Net cash from (used) investing-7 962 978-7 198 930-5 492 009-5 578 266-337 508
Net cash from (used) financing1 029 147-690 304-51 003--
Cash/cash equivalents at the year end19 174 90812 624 4117 737 08388 837 46852 051 774

Unauthorised, irregular, fruitless & wasteful expenditure

Measure2024/252023/242022/232021/222020/21
Unauthorised expenditure-----
Irregular expenditure905 483634 26211 98933 274762 186
Fruitless & wasteful expenditure23 822-59312 71212 328

Source: Audited Outcome A1 2026 Q1

People

Statistics South Africa, Census

Measure202220162011
Population4 772 8464 005 0163 740 031

Age structure

Measure202220162011
Population under 1522.4%26.0%24.8%
Population 15 to 6470.9%67.7%69.6%
Population over 656.7%6.2%5.5%

Dependency ratio

Measure202220162011
Per 100 (15-64)4147.643.6

Sex ratio

Measure202220162011
Males per 100 females93.696.995.9

Population growth

Measure202220162011
Per annum2.4%1.6%n/a

Labour market

Measure202220162011
Unemployment rate (official)n/an/a23.9
Youth unemployment rate (official) 15-34n/an/a31.9

Education (aged 20 +)

Measure202220162011
No schooling1.9%2.0%1.8%
Matricn/a3429.8
Higher education20.0%14.4%16.2%

Household dynamics

Measure202220162011
Households1 452 8451 264 9491 068 515
Average household size3.33.23.5
Female headed householdsn/a4038.2
Formal dwellings87.5%81.6%78.4%
Housing ownedn/a68.754.2

Household services

Measure202220162011
Flush toilet connected to sewerage93.4%91.0%90.2%
Weekly refuse removal90.2%87.8%94.3%
Piped water inside dwelling85.4%76.7%75.0%
Electricity for lighting96.7%97.2%94.0%

Service delivery

National Treasury, non-financial census of municipalities

Water

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided893 524892 755892 755867 208851 261
Number of domestic households/delivery points850 338849 569849 569824 700809 219
Inside the yard658 621657 852657 852653 908650 041
Less than 200m from yard183 366183 366183 366170 792159 178
More than 200m from yard8 3518 3518 35100
Domestic households with access to free basic service506 269553 752441 083428 814432 882

Electricity

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided1 147 9811 145 5411 124 4341 124 4341 121 434
Domestic households with access to free basic service304 661316 454303 586308 603315 246

Sewerage and sanitation

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided759 148726 851720 253708 583703 596
Flush toilet - public sewerage673 541644 377637 756633 260629 086
Flush toilet - septic tank3 5613 5613 5613 5613 561
Ventilated pit latrine19794197197197
Bucket system00848484
Other46 42144 39343 64737 16736 582
Domestic households with access to free basic service506 269553 752441 083428 814432 882

Solid waste services

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Does the municipality provide?YesYesYesYesYes
Number of households and non-domestic customers to which provided891 967888 150864 859863 699834 647
Domestic households with access to free basic service493 126486 648463 886462 284476 942

Staffing

National Treasury

Measure2022/232021/222020/212019/202018/19
Employment Costs (R’000)15 336 14315 312 38915 179 27712 852 76712 413 818
Remuneration of councillors (R’000)176 064165 163166 417167 521161 297
Total Employee Positions33 64633 20932 44033 20431 031
Total Vacant Employee Positions3 6203 8073 0634 3753 699
Total Vacancy Percentage10.8%11.5%9.4%13.2%11.9%
Managerial Positions – S54A and S561212121212
Vacant Managerial Positions – S54A and S5605414
Managerial Positions - by organogram3503503501 0341 002
Vacant Managerial Positions - by organogram503945115104

Published documents

Hosted by National Treasury

Annual Reports

Audit Reports

Audited Financial Statements

Integrated Development Plans