Other meanings of City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality
Geography & Government
The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality is a South African metropolitan municipality encompassing Pretoria, the administrative capital of the country. It is one of eight metropolitan municipalities in South Africa and the third most populous, after Johannesburg and Cape Town. Tshwane was established in 2000 through the merger of several local councils, and it was renamed from the City of Pretoria in 2005, though the name 'Pretoria' remains for the central urban area. The municipality covers an area of about 6,298 square kilometres and includes not only Pretoria but also towns such as Centurion, Soshanguve, and Mamelodi, as well as large rural and semi-rural areas to the north.
Tshwane is the seat of the national executive and hosts numerous foreign embassies, making it a diplomatic hub. The municipality is divided into seven administrative regions, each with its own service delivery structures. It borders the Gauteng municipalities of Johannesburg, Ekurhuleni, and Mogale City, and extends north to the Limpopo province. The city's landscape ranges from the highveld grasslands to the bushveld, with the Magaliesberg mountain range forming a scenic backdrop. The Apies River, which flows through Pretoria, is a notable watercourse, though it is often canalised in urban areas.
The population is predominantly Black African (about 75%), with significant white, coloured, and Indian/Asian minorities. The most spoken languages are Sepedi, Setswana, and Afrikaans, reflecting the diverse heritage of the region. Tshwane has a youthful demographic, with a median age of around 28 years. The municipality faces challenges of inequality, with affluent suburbs like Waterkloof contrasting sharply with informal settlements such as Soshanguve. However, it also has a growing middle class and a strong educational sector, anchored by the University of Pretoria and the University of South Africa (UNISA), both headquartered within its boundaries.
Tshwane's economy is service-oriented, with government administration, defence, and automotive manufacturing as key sectors. The city hosts the headquarters of major state-owned enterprises like Eskom and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The automotive industry is centred in the Rosslyn industrial area, where BMW and Ford have assembly plants. The municipality is also a hub for innovation, with the Innovation Hub, a science park, fostering tech startups. Tshwane's infrastructure includes the Gautrain rapid rail link, which connects it to Johannesburg and OR Tambo International Airport, and the R21 and N1 highways that facilitate freight movement.
Beyond the well-known landmarks, Tshwane has several obscure but notable features. The city is home to the world's largest man-made forest, with over 1.5 million trees planted in the urban area, a legacy of the early 20th-century 'Pretoria is a garden' campaign. The municipality also administers the Dinokeng Game Reserve, a free-roaming big-five reserve located just north of the city, which is one of the few places where visitors can see lions and elephants within an hour's drive of a major city. Tshwane's coat of arms, adopted in 2008, features a leopard and a protea, symbolising strength and resilience. The city's name 'Tshwane' is derived from a Sepedi word meaning 'we are the same', though some historians argue it refers to a pre-colonial chief. The municipality also has a unique 'green' initiative: it operates one of the largest municipal solar farms in the country, at the Rooiwal wastewater treatment plant, which powers its operations.
The municipality's name change from Pretoria to Tshwane has been controversial, with legal challenges from groups who argue that the name 'Pretoria' has historical significance. The central business district retains the name Pretoria, and the city is often referred to as 'Tshwane' in official contexts.
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