Is the South African capital named Pretoria or Tshwane? The answer is complicated.

Countries & Cities · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality governs the region surrounding Pretoria, yet the name itself remains a subject of intense debate. While local authorities have pushed to rename the capital, the transition has faced significant public resistance, legal hurdles, and conflicting interpretations of what the name actually signifies.

Established on 5 December 2000, the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality was formed by merging 13 former city and town councils. Its footprint expanded significantly on 18 May 2011, when the Metsweding District Municipality was incorporated. By 2016, this expansion made it the second-largest metropolitan municipality in South Africa by land area, covering 6,368 square kilometres. The region serves as a major hub for education and research, hosting the University of Pretoria, the University of South Africa, and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

The name 'Tshwane' is the Setswana term for the Apies River, which runs through the city. Its exact meaning is unclear, though one theory suggests it relates to ceremonies involving a black cow used to end droughts. Other popular explanations, such as it being a translation for 'little monkeys' or a motto meaning 'we are the same,' are considered incorrect by linguists and historians. Despite the municipal council's 2005 vote to rename the city, the process remains stalled. While the South African Geographical Names Council approved the recommendation, the change has met with organized protests, including a 2005 march by the Pretoria Civil Action Committee.

The political landscape is equally complex. The council operates under a mixed-member proportional representation system with 214 members, and as of the 2021 election, no single party holds a majority. The municipality relies on diverse infrastructure, sourcing 72% of its water from Rand Water while maintaining its own treatment facilities. From the military history preserved at Thaba Tshwane to the hosting of the 2018 World Choir Games, the municipality functions as a multifaceted entity that continues to grapple with its identity, caught between its historical roots as Pretoria and its official designation as Tshwane.

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