Tshwane

Tshwane, home to South Africa’s administrative capital, Pretoria, is a rapidly growing metropolitan area balancing historic significance and modern urban development. As part of Gauteng province, Tshwane is a key hub for government, education, and industry, hosting diplomatic missions, universities, and automotive manufacturing plants. The city is expanding through infrastructure upgrades, transit-oriented development, and smart city initiatives. Projects like the Tshwane Rapid Transit system and revitalization of the inner city aim to improve mobility and economic inclusion. However, challenges such as urban sprawl, service delivery issues, and socio-economic disparities remain. With continued investment in housing, technology, and sustainable development, Tshwane is positioning itself as a modern, innovative African city, blending heritage with contemporary urban solutions.

Note: Tshwane is both an old and new city, making it distinct from completely greenfield developments like NEOM, Xiong’an, or Dholera. The City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality was officially formed in 2000, consolidating Pretoria and surrounding towns into a single metropolitan area. This makes it a new administrative entity, even though Pretoria itself dates back to the 19th century. Unlike master-planned cities built from scratch, Tshwane’s urban expansion involves retrofitting and integrating historic, suburban, and informal areas into a modern, functional metropolis. While it shares challenges with new cities—such as infrastructure expansion and economic growth—Tshwane’s development is more about regional integration than blank-slate urbanization.