4 ★ FTWeekend 9 November/10 November 2019
Sources: UN World Urbanization Prospects; Statistics South Africa; First National Bank FT graphic
The two cities reflect South Africa’s ‘rainbow nation’ in
dierent ways
They are South Africa’s two largest cities
Cape Town and Johannesburg sit at opposite ends of
the country
House prices are only part of the story: across South Africa,
many live in informal housing
Trends in the cities’ neighbourhoods vary
Cape Town has done better than Johannesburg at reducing
the number of people below the oicial poverty line
Many Johannesburg residents do not have power to
their homes
House prices have risen faster in Cape Town
Cape Town is wealthier and more expensive
than Johannesburg
Population,
Percentage of the population by ethnicity,
Cape Town
Johannesburg
Black Coloured* Indian White
*In South Africa, ‘coloured’ is a neutral term for mixed-race individuals, who live mostly in the Western Cape
House price index, rebased ( Q)
Cape Town
Johannesburg
House price index, rebased ( Q)
Cape Town
(Atlantic Seaboard)
Cape Town
(Cape Flats)
Johannesburg (Sandton)
Johannesburg (Soweto)
Average house price (rand),
City residents by type of dwelling, ()**
Cape Town Johannesburg
Formal dwelling Informal dwelling
**Figures do not sum to as minor categories are excluded
Percentage of residents in poverty
Cape Town
Johannesburg
Cape Town
Johannesburg
6
Percentage of the population by electricity connection type,
Cape Town
Johannesburg
In Johannesburg, former townships
have grown faster – from a lower
base – than wealthy Sandton
Atlantic Seaboard has seen
rapid price growth even
from an expensive start
Cape Town Johannesburg
Rm
Rm
More than
people live
in informal
dwellings in
Johannesburg
Mains
electricity
Other
electricity
source
No
electricity
South Africa has three
capitals but its largest city,
Johannesburg is not one of them
Cape Town Johannesburg
m m
Both cities saw only
brief dips during the
crash that devastated
European markets
JohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburgJohannesburg
km
Port Elizabeth
BloemfonteinBloemfonteinBloemfonteinBloemfonteinBloemfontein
Cape TownCape TownCape Town
Pretoria
ATLANTIC Durban
OCEAN
INDIAN
OCEAN
SOUTH
AFRICA
MOZAMBIQUE
SWAZILAND
BOTSWANA
ZIMBABWE
LESOTHO
NAMIBIA
km
City stats
The two largest South African cities diverge
on their house price growth and the wealth
of residents. ByFergus Peace and Liz Faunce
Johannesburg versus Cape Town
House Home
NOVEMBER 9 2019 Section:Weekend Time: 11/20196/ - 17:34 User: elizabeth.robinson Page Name:RES4 , Part,Page,Edition:RES , 4, 1