City of Cape Town Metropolitan Municipality is one of South Africa’s eight metropolitan municipalities, governing 2 441 square kilometres of Western Cape with no district municipality above it.
The essentials
| Measure | Value |
|---|---|
| MDB code | CPT |
| Province | Western Cape |
| Population | 4 772 846 |
| Households | 1 452 845 |
| Area | 2 441 km2 |
| People per km2 | 1 955.3 |
| Council seats | 231 |
| Parties in council | 17 |
| Governing party | DA |
| Executive mayor | Geordin Hill-Lewis |
Money
In its most recent audited year Cape Town reported R67.5 billion in operating revenue against R64.4 billion in expenditure, an operating surplus of R3.1 billion. Its audit outcome was recorded as financially unqualified.
| Measure | Value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Financial health grade | B | Sound |
| Score out of 100 | 81.1 | Ranked 1 of 8 metros |
| Operating margin | 4.6% | Revenue exceeded operating costs |
| Current ratio | 1.70:1 | Short-term assets cover short-term bills |
| Months of cash | 3.6 | At least a month of operating cover |
| Irregular spending | 1.4% | Share of expenditure flagged by the Auditor-General |
Household services
| Service | Cape Town | All 8 metros average |
|---|---|---|
| Piped water inside dwelling | 85.4% | 71.6% |
| Flush toilet connected to sewerage | 93.4% | 85.6% |
| Electricity for lighting | 96.7% | 95.1% |
| Weekly refuse removal | 90.2% | 81.3% |
How it compares with the other metros
Cape Town ranks 1 of the eight metropolitan municipalities on financial health. Ranked against all 257 municipalities in the country, it sits in the stronger band.
| Metro | Grade | Score | Operating margin | Months of cash |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Town | B | 81.1 | 4.6% | 3.6 |
| eThekwini | C | 56.5 | -4.7% | 4.9 |
| Nelson Mandela Bay | D | 43.2 | -9.0% | 2.7 |
| City of Johannesburg | E | 38.9 | -3.4% | 1.5 |
| City of Ekurhuleni | E | 38.7 | -4.8% | -3.4 |
| Buffalo City | E | 38.6 | -18.1% | 5.2 |
| Mangaung | E | 34.8 | -10.8% | 9.7 |
| City of Tshwane | E | 27.8 | 2.3% | -4.8 |
What the figures suggest
Cape Town collected more than it spent on operations, an operating surplus of R3.1 billion, which is the position a municipality should be in. Cash cover exceeds three months, comfortably above the level National Treasury regards as adequate. Short-term assets cover short-term obligations.
Who runs it
The council has 231 seats across 17 parties, and is governed by DA. The executive mayor is Geordin Hill-Lewis of the DA. All of these positions are contested at the local government elections on 4 November 2026.
In context
Cape Town is one of 30 municipalities in Western Cape. See the full Cape Town profile for contact details, the complete council, five years of audited figures and published documents, or put it beside another municipality in the comparison tool.
Common questions
How many people live in Cape Town?
Census 2022 recorded 4 772 846 residents across 2 441 square kilometres, which works out to 1 955.3 people per square kilometre.
What is Cape Town’s annual budget?
It reported R64.4 billion in operating expenditure and R67.5 billion in operating revenue in its most recent audited year.
Who is the mayor of Cape Town?
Geordin Hill-Lewis of the DA. The full council and senior management are listed on the Cape Town profile, which is updated as appointments change.
Figures on this page come from National Treasury, Statistics South Africa and the Auditor-General, as set out in the sources and methodology. Read the methodology