Despite the City of Cape Town existing as a municipal entity for just over 10 years, the Mother City has the oldest municipal structure in the country, going back to its first council meeting held on 8 April 1652 – on a sailing ship anchored in Table Bay.
The Mother City is South Africa’s oldest city, with an area of 2 461 km2. It is the legislative capital of South Africa; and the administrative and economic centre of the Western Cape.
The GDP (at 2005 prices) of Cape Town amounted to R203 581 million in 2011. The city has a diversified economy, and the three biggest sectors are: finance, insurance, property and business services; manufacturing; and wholesale and retail trade, catering, and accommodation.
Population
The City of Cape Town has a total population of 3 740 025, comprising coloureds 42,4%, black African 38,6%, white 15,7%, Indian / Asian 1,4%, and other 1,9%. Some 51.1% of Cape Town’s population is female while 48.9% are male.
Between 2001 and 2011, Cape Town registered a population growth rate of 2.57%. At the last census, Cape Town was estimated to have 1 068 573 households, with an average household size of 3.3 persons.
Languages
The main languages spoken in Cape Town are Afrikaans (34.9%), isiXhosa (29.2%), and English (27.8%).
Services
Census 2011 data revealed that 78.4% of Cape Town’s population live in ‘formal dwellings’; 88.2% were connected to a flush sewerage system; 94.3% has their refuse removed on a weekly basis; 75% had access to piped water inside their dwelling and 94% used electricity for lighting.
Towns
Athlone, Atlantis, Belhar, Bellville, Blackheath, Blouberg, Blue Downs, Brackenfell, Cape Point, Cape Town, Delft, Durbanville, Elsies Rivier, Fish Hoek, Goodwood, Gordon’s Bay, Grassy Park, Guguletu, Hout Bay, Khayelitsha, Kommetjie, Kraaifontein, Kuils River, Langa, Macassar, Matroosfontein, Melkbosstrand, Milnerton, Mitchells Plain, Muizenberg, Noordhoek, Nyanga, Parow, Philadelphia, Philippi, Robben Island, Scarborough, Simon’s Town, Sir Lowry’s Pass, Somerset West, Southern Suburbs, Strand, Table View.
Main economic sectors
Finance and business services (36.1%), manufacturing (16.1%), trade and hospitality (15.6%), community services and general government (15.0%), transport, storage and communication (11.2%), construction (4.1), electricity (1.1%), agriculture (0.7%), and mining (0.1%).
Council’s seats
The current composition of the council’s 231-seats is: DA 154, ANC 56, EFF 7, ACDP 3, ALJAMA 2, AIC 1, CMC 1, COPE 1, DI 1, PAC 1, PA 1, UDM 1, VF PLUS 1.
The Executive Mayor of Cape Town is DA’s Dan Plato.
Source: Municipalities.co.za
