City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality

The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (Tswana: Mmasepala wa Toropokgolo ya Tshwane; Afrikaans: Stad Tshwane Metropolitaanse Munisipaliteit; Northern Sotho: Mmasepala wa Toropokgolo ya Tshwane), also known as the City of Tshwane (/tswɑːnɪ/), is the metropolitan municipality that forms the local government of northern Gauteng in South Africa. The metropolitan area is centred on the city of Pretoria with surrounding towns and localities included in the local government area.

Tshwane
Pretoria
Metropolitan municipality
Official seal of Tshwane
Seal
Location in Gauteng
Location in Gauteng
Coordinates: 25°40′S 28°20′E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceGauteng
SeatPretoria
Wards107
Government
[1]
 • TypeMunicipal council
 • MayorCilliers Brink (Democratic Alliance)
Area
 • Total6,298 km2 (2,432 sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
[2]
 • Black African75.4%
 • Coloured2.0%
 • Indian/Asian1.8%
 • White20.1%
First languages (2011)
[2]
 • Northern Sotho28.4%
 • Afrikaans25.7%
 • Tswana24.7%
 • Tsonga11.7%
 • English10.4%
 • Other26.7%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Municipal codeTSH
Tshwane sign, with the former logo depicting the Union Buildings in Pretoria, with slogan "We are the same" (photo 2005).

History

The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality was established on 5 December 2000,[3] comprising 13 former city and town councils and managed under an executive mayoral system.

The Metsweding District Municipality was incorporated into the municipality[4] with effect from 18 May 2011 (the date of the 2011 municipal elections).

Geography

The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality's land area increased from 2,198 square kilometres (849 sq mi)[5] in 2010 to 6,368 square kilometres (2,459 sq mi) after the incorporation of Metsweding, making it the largest Metropolitan Municipality in South Africa.[6]

The Tswaing crater is in the northwest of Soshanguve.

Constituent areas

The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality consists of the following areas:[7]

Main places

The 2011 census divided the municipality into the following main places:[8]

PlaceCodeArea (km2)Area (sq mi)PopulationMost spoken language
Akasia79903780.84 31.2159,455Tswana 24% Afrikaans 23% Pedi 12% English 10%
Atteridgeville7990569.84 3.8064,425Pedi 41% Tswana 17% Sotho 12%
Baviaanspoort79904513.85 5.352,456Afrikaans 32% Pedi 26%
Bon Accord79903615.85 6.122,270Afrikaans 33% English 14% Pedi 13% Tsonga 11%
Boschkop79906729.28 11.31623Ndebele 25% Afrikaans 23%
Bronkhorstspruit79907234.00 13.1312,470Afrikaans 47% Ndebele 10% English 10%
Bultfontein79901392.48 35.712,147Afrikaans 61%
Centurion799059394.88 152.46236,580Afrikaans 49% English 26%
Cullinan79904955.66 21.498,693Afrikaans 49% Pedi 16%
Dilopye7990257.45 2.883,874Tswana 58% Pedi 14% Tsonga 10%
Donkerhoek79905122.33 8.623,472Pedi 28% Zulu 13% Afrikaans 12% Tsonga 12% Ndebele 11%
Eersterust7990476.05 2.3429,676Afrikaans 78% English 11%
Ekangala79905446.05 17.7848,493Zulu 33% Ndebele 29% Pedi 15%
Ga-Rankuwa79903452.18 20.1590,945Tswana 69%
Haakdoornboom799020101.60 39.234,309Afrikaans 50%
Hammanskraal7990127.60 2.9321,345Tswana 46% Pedi 18% Tsonga 15%
Hebron7990331.02 0.392,321Tswana 41% Pedi 17% Tsonga 15%
Kameeldrift79904332.76 12.656,727Pedi 29% Afrikaans 28%
Kekana Garden7990102.61 1.0115,709Pedi 34% Tswana 31% Tsonga 13%
Kungwini Part 27990658.60 3.328,738Afrikaans 54% English 25%
Laudium7990586.07 2.3419,102English 77% Afrikaans 12%
Mabopane79908042.20 16.29110,972Tswana 59% Pedi 10%
Majaneng7990045.79 2.249,972Tswana 31% Pedi 24% Tsonga 18%
Mamelodi79904645.19 17.45334,577Pedi 42% Zulu 12% Tsonga 11%
Mandela Village7990113.72 1.447,305Tswana 28% Tsonga 22% Pedi 21%
Marokolong7990096.65 2.5717,455Tswana 29% Pedi 22% Tsonga 21%
Mashemong7990055.55 2.1414,118Tswana 36% Pedi 24% Tsonga 19%
Mooiplaas79905256.69 21.8914,979Pedi 25% non-official languages 20% Tsonga 14% Ndebele 10%
Nellmapius79905313.03 5.0356,111Pedi 35% Zulu 13%
New Eersterus79902323.64 9.1335,059Tswana 28% Pedi 22% Tsonga 22% Ndebele 10%
Olievenhoutbosch79907811.39 4.4070,863Pedi 33% Zulu 14%
Onverwacht7990281.24 0.481,518Afrikaans 29% Pedi 29% Sotho 15%
Pretoria799035687.54 265.46741,651Afrikaans 48% English 16%
Ramotse7990026.00 2.3215,760Tswana 30% Pedi 22% Tsonga 19% Ndebele 11%
Rayton799050145.99 56.378,166Afrikaans 59% Pedi 11%
Refilwe7990482.22 0.8619757Pedi 52% Zulu 10%
Rethabiseng7990551.75 0.681.7510,964Zulu 32% Ndebele 31% Pedi 13%
Roodepoort B79906224.33 9.391,915Afrikaans 42%
Saulsville7990578.66 3.34105,208Pedi 45% Tsonga 15%
Soshanguve799021126.77 48.95403,162Pedi 28% Tswana 17% Tsonga 15% Zulu 14%
Soutpan79902212.75 4.922,157Tsonga 29% Tswana 28% Pedi 17%
Stinkwater7990240.13 0.05039,201Tswana 33% Tsonga 24% Pedi 17%
Suurman799007126.77 48.9511,071Tswana 36% Tsonga 22% Pedi 21%
Temba79900821.81 8.4258,431Tswana 49% Pedi 16% Tsonga 12%
Thembisile7990381.98 0.761,809Ndebele 70%
Tierpoort79907532.14 12.411,167Afrikaans 50%
Tsebe7990324.34 1.682,702Tswana 30% Ndebele 24% Zulu 11% Pedi 11% Tsonga 8%
Tshwane NU7990263,126.37 1,207.1016,831Ndebele 29% Afrikaans 23% Zulu 11% Pedi 10%
Vaalbank79906450.98 19.681,458Afrikaans 38% Ndebele 21%
Waterval79901962.99 24.322,517Afrikaans 46% Pedi 13%
Winterveld799029104.52 40.36120,826Tsonga 22% Tswana 20% Zulu 19% Pedi 12%
Zithobeni7990383.86 1.4922,434Ndebele 30% Zulu 28% Pedi 13%
Zwavelpoort79906637.50 14.481,148Afrikaans 35%

Demographics

There were around 2,921,500 (2011 census)[8] people living within the borders of Tshwane: 75.40% black, 20.08% white, 2.01% coloured and 1.84% Indian or Asian.[8]

Ethnic group 2011 census
Ethnic group Population %
Coloured58 7882.01%
Black African2 202 84775.40%
White586 49520.08%
Indian/Asian53 7441.84%
Other19 6140.67%
Total2 921 488100.00%

Ethnic group 2011 census (age 0–4)
Ethnic group Population %
Coloured5 8022.12%
Black African225 11182.20%
White36 86013.46%
Indian/Asian4 2801.56%
Other1 8140.66%
Total273 867100.00%

Politics
Main article: City of Tshwane elections

The municipal council consists of 214 members elected by mixed-member proportional representation. 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. In the election of 1 November 2021, no party won a majority of seats on the council.

The following table shows the results of the 2021 election.[9][10][11]

City of Tshwane local election, 1 November 2021
PartyVotesSeats
WardListTotal %WardListTotal
African National Congress 231,520234,521466,04134.6%70575
Democratic Alliance 217,190213,852431,04232.0%373269
Economic Freedom Fighters 73,60570,228143,83310.7%02323
ActionSA 53,71262,502116,2148.6%01919
Freedom Front Plus 53,50652,458105,9647.9%01717
African Christian Democratic Party 6,2816,09412,3750.9%022
Independent candidates 9,623–9,6230.7%0–0
African Independent Congress 2,5815,4428,0230.6%011
Defenders of the People 3,8793,2917,1700.5%011
Patriotic Alliance 3,5253,2196,7440.5%011
Congress of the People 1,3511,2462,5970.2%011
Pan Africanist Congress of Azania 1,1941,3932,5870.2%011
Republican Conference of Tshwane 1,7008692,5690.2%011
African Transformation Movement 1,1091,1972,3060.2%011
Good 1,1311,0652,1960.2%011
Inkatha Freedom Party 5961,3851,9810.1%011
35 other parties 10,10014,40324,5031.8%000
Total 672,603673,1651,345,768107107214
Valid votes 672,603673,1651,345,76898.8%
Spoilt votes 7,9188,84316,7611.2%
Total votes cast 680,521682,0081,362,529
Voter turnout 688,237
Registered voters 1,526,585
Turnout percentage 45.1%

The Executive
Main article: Mayor of Tshwane

The political head of the municipality is the executive mayor. As of March 2023, Cilliers Brink of the Democratic Alliance serves as mayor.[12] The mayor appoints a mayoral committee to assist with him/her with the functioning of the municipality.

Services

Water and sanitation

As of 2016, City of Tshwane receives 72% of its bulk water from Rand Water, which utilizes the Integrated Vaal River System. The remaining 28% of Tshwane's water is sourced from its own treatment plants and boreholes. Water restrictions are implemented during drought, heat waves or other seasonal changes.

Railway

The main rail station is in Pretoria.

The Gautrain runs through parts of the municipality, with stations in Centurion and Pretoria, ending at a station in the suburb of Hatfield.

Airports

OR Tambo International Airport in neighbouring Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality serves Tshwane. Wonderboom Airport in the north of Tshwane serves light aircraft.

Education
The front part of the Theo van Wyk Building on the Main Campus of UNISA
University of Pretoria's Old Arts Building

Tertiary education
See also: List of universities in South Africa

The Tshwane municipality is home to the Tshwane University of Technology, and the largest distance education university (the University of South Africa, more commonly known by its acronym, UNISA), as well as The University of Pretoria, one of South Africa's leading research and teaching universities, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU, previously called University of Limpopo (Medunsa Campus) and Medical University of Southern Africa-MEDUNSA) a medical school, and the South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Military
AFB Swartkop

Air Force

The South African Air Force military bases AFB Waterkloof and AFB Swartkop are in Centurion.

Thaba Tshwane Military Base

Thaba Tshwane military base (formerly called Voortrekkerhoogte and before that Roberts Heights) is in the municipality.

Memorials

The SANDF memorial is at Fort Klapperkop and the South African Air Force memorial is at AFB Swartkop.

Society and culture

Media
Main article: Media in Tshwane

Museums

There are a large number of museums, many of them in Pretoria.

Festivals

The city of Tshwane hosted the 10th World Choir Games, organised by the Interkultur Foundation, between 4–14 July 2018.[13] Various locations across the city were used as venues to host concerts and ceremonies for the event, including the Musaion and Aula theatres at the University of Pretoria, the ZK Matthews Great Hall at the University of South Africa, and the Pretoria State Theatre.[14] The event was the first of its kind on the African continent.[13]

Sporting venues

Scout Groups
  • 1st Nan Hau Scout Group
  • 5th Hillcrest/Colbyn Scout Group
  • 6th St Andrews Scout Group
  • 7th Mamelodi Scout Group
  • 8th St Albans Scout Group
  • 9th Irene Air Scout Group
  • 10th Arcadia Scout Group
  • 13th St Patricks Scout Group
  • 14th Delp Scout Group
  • 22nd Waterkloof / Kosmos Sea Scout Group
  • 23rd Lyttleton Scout Group
  • 35th Pretoria Sea Scout Group
  • 36th Sinoville Scout Group
  • 37th Springvale Scout Group
  • 40th Glenstantia Scout Group
  • 41st Parks Scout Group
  • 42nd Laudium Scout Group
  • 46th Midstream Scout Group

Sport

The city is home to the Tshwane Suns who compete in South Africa's highest basketball division, the Basketball National League.[15][16] There are two Premier Soccer League teams, Mamelodi Sundowns and Supersport United. Pretoria University, known as Tuks plays in the second-tier league. Tshwane is also home to the Blue Bulls rugby team.

Proposal for city name change
Logo of City of Tshwane depicting the Union Buildings in Pretoria, with slogan "We are the same".

Tshwane [tsʰwane] is the Setswana/Sepedi name of the Apies River, which flows through the city. The origin of the name of the river is unclear. It may mean "place -e of the black cow, tshwana, from ceremonies where a black cow was sprinkled with water from the river to end a drought.[17] Another claim is that it was named after Tshwane, son of Chief Mushi, an Ndebele leader who settled near the Apies River about a century before the arrival of the Voortrekkers in the early 19th century.[17]

Two other common explanations are demonstrably untrue. One is that it is the Tswana for the motto of Tshwane Municipality, "We are the same". However, this appears to be promoted only for its emotional value; if anything, it would mean "we are not the same" in Tswana (ga re tshwane).[17] Another common misunderstanding is that it is the Tswana word for "little monkeys"; although "Tshwane" resembles tshwene (the Tswana word for baboon), baboons are not little and the words are not the same. "Little monkeys" is actually a translation of the Afrikaans name "Apies".

In 2005, politicians in the South African capital voted to rename the city Tshwane and retain the name Pretoria for the city centre only. The Sunday Times used the word Tshwane to refer to the Pretoria area for a short period in 2005. The state-controlled SABC also started using the term in its evening news broadcasts, for a period, but by 2010, had reverted to "Pretoria". Private media outlets continued to refer to the metropolitan area as Pretoria. The Pretoria News, the main newspaper in the metropolitan area did not appear to have plans to change its name as of early 2006, although it has adopted the slogan "The paper for the people of Tshwane".[18]

On 21 May 2005, the Pretoria Civil Action Committee, a group consisting of business, labour, cultural, civil and political leaders opposed to the name change organised a protest in the Pretoria city centre.[19] They marched to the office of Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan and handed him a petition signed by 3,000 University of Pretoria students as well as other petition documents. Former president FW De Klerk, a Nobel prize winner and the last president under apartheid, also raised concerns about the change.[20]

In November 2005, the Advertising Standards Authority found that advertising proclaiming that Tshwane, rather than Pretoria, was the capital of South Africa was misleading.

Proposed renaming of Pretoria

On 5 December 2000, a number of former Pretoria municipalities, as well as others that fell outside the Greater Pretoria area, were combined into one area called the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. The city of Pretoria remained largely intact in this municipality. On 26 May 2005, the South African Geographical Names Council unanimously approved a recommendation by the Tshwane Metro Council that the name Pretoria be changed to Tshwane, but approval from the Geographical Names Council is only a preliminary step in the process.[21]

The legal process involved is as follows:

  1. Recommendation to the Geographical Names Council.
  2. Council approves/rejects recommendation (approved 26 May 2005).
  3. Council gives its recommendation to Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan.
  4. Minister approves/rejects recommendation.
  5. Approved/rejected name is published in the Government Gazette.
  6. Any person or body unhappy with the name change can complain within one month of above.
  7. The minister can consult the Geographical Names Council with concerns raised.
  8. The minister's decision, along with the reasons for it, are published
  9. The minister will then take the matter before parliament where the central government will decide on whether to change the name or not based on the information before it.

Some groups attached themselves to the Pretoria name change issue, including the trade union Solidarity, which,[22] along with the Pretoria Civil Action Committee, threatened legal action should the name change be recommended by the minister. In early August 2007, it was reported in the press that the municipality, after consulting with the Gauteng provincial government had withdrawn the application to change the name, and was instead contemplating a plan to change all road signs pointing to "Pretoria" to "Tshwane" or the "City of Tshwane" across the country. This plan raised threats of legal action from both political groupings opposed to the renaming, and concerns from municipal officials about the possibility of vandalism to the proposed signs.[23][24]

In 2010, the Ministry of Arts and Culture prepared to publish the registration of Tshwane as a place name, in the Government Gazette. However, the registration was withdrawn at the last minute, which was explained by the minister. Although it was too late to remove the name from printing in the Government Gazette, the retraction of the name registration was published the following week in the gazette.[25] In November 2011, Kgosientso Ramokgopa, who had been elected mayor earlier that year, vowed to push forward with the renaming in 2012.[26]

Management and corruption

As in other parts of the country, the Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality experiences high levels of corruption. Significant resources of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) were dedicated to this region since 2010.[27][28][29] The screening of applicants for management positions has also been criticized.[30]

When, by November 2020, businesses and residents owed the metro R12 billion,[31] the metro outsourced its credit management to 34 debt collecting agencies after normal means were ineffectual. This was expected to increase the metro's income levels, cash flow and capacity for service delivery. In 2021, its debt with Eskom stood at over R200 million, and the utility labeled it as a municipality with a poor payment record.[32] When in August 2022 its debt stood at R1.152 billion, Eskom warned that the city's electricity may be disconnected.[33]

In February 2022, its debtors book stood at R17 billion[34] and Tshwane implemented the Tshwane Yatima project to disconnect the power and/or water supply to 420 businesses, besides that of some state departments (Public Works and Infrastructure owing R355 million[35]) and embassies, SARS, the Navy and SAPS headquarters and Hatfield Gautrain station due to non-payment of their electricity or municipal accounts.[36][37] The University of Pretoria paid the bill of its Hillcrest campus under protest at the last minute.[34]

See also

References
  1. "Contact list: Executive Mayors". Government Communication & Information System. Archived from the original on July 14, 2010. Retrieved February 22, 2012.
  2. "Statistics by place". Statistics South Africa. Retrieved 27 September 2015.
  3. "Structure and Roles of the City of Tshwane". City of Tshwane. Archived from the original on 2008-12-12. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
  4. "Tswane property tariff hike shock : Property News from". IOLProperty. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  5. "Tshwane Metropolitan Profile" (PDF). City of Tshwane. 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
  6. "City to become largest in SA". South African Cities Network News. BUANews. 12 May 2011. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 23 May 2011. The City of Tshwane will become the largest metropolitan municipality in the country after the local government elections when it incorporates the Metsweding District Municipality.
  7. "Areas constituting the City of Tshwane". City of Tshwane. Archived from the original on 2008-12-02. Retrieved 2008-11-30.
  8. Statistics South Africa: data reworked by Adrian Frith Tshwane - Census 2011
  9. "Results Summary – All Ballots: City of Tshwane" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  10. "Seat Calculation Detail: Tshwane" (PDF). IEC. Electoral Commission of South Africa. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  11. "Voter Turnout Report: Tshwane" (PDF). Electoral Commission of South Africa. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  12. "DA's Cilliers Brink elected new City of Tshwane mayor". SABC News. 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-03-28.
  13. "World Choir Games 2018: South-Africa to host 10th world choir games". interkultur.com. 17 June 2016. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  14. "10th World Choir Games: July 4 - 14, 2018 Tshwane, South Africa". Interkultur 2020. 2018. Retrieved 27 April 2018.
  15. Boroughs, Don (3 August 2015). "Basketball (And The NBA) Try To Find Fans In South Africa". NPR. Archived from the original on 4 August 2015.
  16. "Tshwane Suns (South Africa-BNL)". Eurobasket Inc.
  17. "Meanings of place names in South Africa: Tshwane". Africanlanguages.com. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  18. "Pretoria News". Pretoria News. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  19. "Forum policy - Mail & Guardian Online: The smart news source". Mg.co.za. 2010-07-23. Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  20. "Pretoria name change?". Mg.co.za. 2010-07-23. Archived from the original on 2012-06-06. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  21. "South African Geographical Names Council approves name change from Pretoria to Tshwane". Mg.co.za. 2010-07-23. Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  22. "Solidarity trade union South Africa - Solidariteit - Ons beskerm ons mense!/We protect our people!". Solidaritysa.co.za. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  23. "Down with Pretoria signs!". News24. 2007-08-02. Archived from the original on 2009-03-09. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  24. Independent Online. "Politics: Moves afoot to make Tshwane the capital". Iol.co.za. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  25. "Pretoria is Pretoria again - for now". Jacarandafm.com. Retrieved 2010-07-29.
  26. Tshwane it will be – mayor, iol.co.za; accessed October 28, 2015.
  27. du Toit, Pieter (4 April 2011). "LP's hoor vloed van korrupsie spoel oor SA". Beeld. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  28. Claassen, Cobus (7 April 2011). "Groot aankoopbedrog in Tshwane onthul, 65 in sop". Beeld. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  29. Pretorius, Gerhard (7 November 2012). "Maak korrupsieverslag bekend". Beeld. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  30. Claassen, Cobus (26 August 2012). "Tshwane bekyk nie kandidate deeglik". Beeld. Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 24 September 2013.
  31. Cornelissen, Christel (3 November 2020). "Skuldinvorderaars moet wanbetalers in Tshwane vasvat". maroelamedia.co.za. Maroela Media. Retrieved 20 November 2020.
  32. Khumalo, Sibongile (2 September 2021). "Eskom wins judgment against Emfuleni municipality over R1.3 billion debt". news24.com. fin24. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  33. Redaksiespan (1 September 2022). "Donkerte dreig nadat Tshwane-metro nie daarin slaag om sy uitstaande skuld te betaal nie". afrinuus.com. Afrinuus. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  34. Bhengu, Lwandile (11 February 2022). "UP calls Tshwane's attempts to cut power over unpaid bills 'political grandstanding'". news24.com. News24. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  35. staff writer (13 February 2022). "Pay up or else — Johannesburg warning after Pretoria power cuts". mybroadband.co.za. MyBroadBand. Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  36. Pijoos, Iavan (15 February 2022). "Named and shamed: Tshwane cuts power to SARS, SAPS and Gautrain station over 'non-payment' of bills". news24.com. News24. Retrieved 17 February 2022.
  37. Cornelissen, Christel (9 February 2022). "Af, af, af gaan Tshwane-wanbetalers se ligte". maroelamedia.co.za. Maroela Media. Retrieved 18 February 2022.
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