Southern Africa Cities by Population 2026

5 Most Populated Southern Africa Cities

South Africa Flag Johannesburg

12,043,175

South Africa Flag Cape Town

4,974,327

South Africa Flag Durban

3,303,046

South Africa Flag Pretoria

3,296,921

South Africa Flag Port Elizabeth

1,047,642
City
Country
Population ↓
South Africa FlagJohannesburgSouth Africa12,043,175
South Africa FlagCape TownSouth Africa4,974,327
South Africa FlagDurbanSouth Africa3,303,046
South Africa FlagPretoriaSouth Africa3,296,921
South Africa FlagPort ElizabethSouth Africa1,047,642
South Africa FlagSoshanguveSouth Africa971,322
South Africa FlagEvatonSouth Africa697,718
South Africa FlagBloemfonteinSouth Africa668,963
South Africa FlagRustenburgSouth Africa660,294
South Africa FlagWitbankSouth Africa608,669
South Africa FlagPietermaritzburgSouth Africa584,702
Namibia FlagWindhoekNamibia537,336
Lesotho FlagMaseruLesotho517,905
South Africa FlagVereenigingSouth Africa515,483
South Africa FlagPolokwaneSouth Africa481,421
South Africa FlagEast LondonSouth Africa423,375
South Africa FlagSomerset WestSouth Africa351,347
South Africa FlagMiddelburgSouth Africa346,784
South Africa FlagUitenhageSouth Africa342,315
South Africa FlagPaarlSouth Africa313,059
South Africa FlagNewcastleSouth Africa309,627
South Africa FlagKimberleySouth Africa301,647
Botswana FlagGaboroneBotswana251,682
South Africa FlagWelkomSouth Africa237,772
South Africa FlagKlerksdorpSouth Africa236,456
South Africa FlagGeorgeSouth Africa232,679
South Africa FlagStangerSouth Africa229,150
South Africa FlagMthathaSouth Africa228,120
South Africa FlagPotchefstroomSouth Africa210,536
South Africa FlagBotshabeloSouth Africa191,882
South Africa FlagSasolburgSouth Africa185,405
South Africa FlagErmeloSouth Africa174,939
South Africa FlagEmbalenhleSouth Africa172,255
South Africa FlagMdantsaneSouth Africa157,341
South Africa FlagLadysmithSouth Africa151,439
Namibia FlagRunduNamibia137,831
South Africa FlagHeidelbergSouth Africa132,563
South Africa FlagMokopaneSouth Africa131,488
South Africa FlagStandertonSouth Africa130,472
South Africa FlagCarletonvilleSouth Africa130,079
South Africa FlagBethalSouth Africa128,671
South Africa FlagHammanskraalSouth Africa128,143
South Africa FlagStellenboschSouth Africa127,094
South Africa FlagQueenstownSouth Africa126,422
South Africa FlagWorcesterSouth Africa126,231
South Africa FlagNelspruitSouth Africa124,204
South Africa FlagTweefonteinSouth Africa119,605
Namibia FlagWalvis BayNamibia116,471
South Africa FlagBritsSouth Africa113,364
South Africa FlagOrkneySouth Africa110,463
South Africa FlagKroonstadSouth Africa110,095
South Africa FlagKokstadSouth Africa109,110
South Africa FlageMkhondoSouth Africa107,033
Botswana FlagFrancistownBotswana105,037
South Africa FlagKing William's TownSouth Africa104,432
Botswana FlagMogoditshaneBotswana98,889
South Africa FlagDelmasSouth Africa97,568
Lesotho FlagMaputsoeLesotho97,482
South Africa FlagMossel BaySouth Africa95,370
South Africa FlagAtlantisSouth Africa93,992
Botswana FlagMaunBotswana93,986
South Africa FlagUpingtonSouth Africa93,072
South Africa FlagBethlehemSouth Africa92,691
South Africa FlagHermanusSouth Africa90,926
South Africa FlagNkowankowaSouth Africa90,733
South Africa FlagMusinaSouth Africa90,347
South Africa FlagLichtenburgSouth Africa89,943
South Africa FlagMahikengSouth Africa89,125
South Africa FlagLydenburgSouth Africa87,650
South Africa FlagMankwengSouth Africa87,428
Namibia FlagSwakopmundNamibia86,659
South Africa FlagThohoyandouSouth Africa86,469
South Africa FlagTrichardtSouth Africa86,359
South Africa FlagBarbertonSouth Africa82,515
South Africa FlagEkangalaSouth Africa79,090
Botswana FlagMolepololeBotswana77,659
South Africa FlagGrahamstownSouth Africa76,466
South Africa FlagKnysnaSouth Africa76,075
South Africa FlagMkhuhluSouth Africa75,924
South Africa FlagBela-BelaSouth Africa74,523
South Africa FlagRichards BaySouth Africa74,183
South Africa FlagVryheidSouth Africa73,445
South Africa FlagOudtshoornSouth Africa72,337
South Africa FlagMalmesburySouth Africa70,183
Lesotho FlagMohale's HoekLesotho69,929
Lesotho FlagHlotseLesotho69,223
South Africa FlagLeslieSouth Africa68,989
South Africa FlagPort ShepstoneSouth Africa68,781
South Africa FlagVryburgSouth Africa68,268
South Africa FlagPlettenberg BaySouth Africa67,367
Namibia FlagOshakatiNamibia66,023
South Africa FlagVredenburgSouth Africa64,758
Lesotho FlagButha-ButheLesotho63,921
South Africa FlagPhuthaditjhabaSouth Africa63,882
South Africa FlagTongaatSouth Africa63,403
Botswana FlagTlokwengBotswana62,484
South Africa FlagBronkhorstspruitSouth Africa62,034
Eswatini FlagMbabaneEswatini61,306
South Africa FlagVirginiaSouth Africa61,178
South Africa FlagThabazimbiSouth Africa61,067
South Africa FlagMpumalangaSouth Africa60,516
South Africa FlagWolmaransstadSouth Africa59,989
South Africa FlagStilfonteinSouth Africa59,662
South Africa FlagSchweizer-RenekeSouth Africa58,493
South Africa FlagEmpangeniSouth Africa58,442
Botswana FlagPalapyeBotswana58,229
Lesotho FlagMafetengLesotho58,177
South Africa FlagModimolleSouth Africa58,093
South Africa FlagMondloSouth Africa57,737
South Africa FlagOdendaalsrusSouth Africa57,645
Botswana FlagSeroweBotswana57,442
South Africa FlagJeffreys BaySouth Africa57,386
Namibia FlagOtjiwarongoNamibia56,265
South Africa FlagParysSouth Africa55,641
South Africa FlagThaba NchuSouth Africa55,275
South Africa FlagHowickSouth Africa55,118
South Africa FlagGrabouwSouth Africa54,626
South Africa FlagMargateSouth Africa54,259
South Africa FlagLouis TrichardtSouth Africa53,685
Namibia FlagOkahandjaNamibia52,494
Namibia FlagKatima MuliloNamibia52,478
South Africa FlagPholaSouth Africa52,467
South Africa FlagLetlhabileSouth Africa52,197
South Africa FlagFicksburgSouth Africa51,766
Botswana FlagMochudiBotswana51,528
South Africa FlagPostmasburgSouth Africa51,096
Botswana FlagMahalapyeBotswana50,301
South Africa FlagElukwatuniSouth Africa49,006
South Africa FlagDundeeSouth Africa48,511
Botswana FlagKanyeBotswana48,399
South Africa FlagAliwal NorthSouth Africa48,243
South Africa FlagHendrinaSouth Africa48,238
South Africa FlagWarrentonSouth Africa47,819
South Africa FlagCradockSouth Africa46,553
South Africa FlagFochvilleSouth Africa45,563
South Africa FlagCullinanSouth Africa44,632
Namibia FlagRehobothNamibia44,479
South Africa FlagHumansdorpSouth Africa44,170
South Africa FlagSiyabuswaSouth Africa43,647
South Africa FlagMandiniSouth Africa42,962
South Africa FlagKwaggafonteinSouth Africa42,854
South Africa FlagButterworthSouth Africa42,019
South Africa FlagSaldanhaSouth Africa41,734
South Africa FlagBothavilleSouth Africa41,650
South Africa FlagKosterSouth Africa41,277
Botswana FlagLetlhakaneBotswana41,221
South Africa FlagGraaff-ReinetSouth Africa41,095
South Africa FlagFrankfortSouth Africa40,711
Namibia FlagTsumebNamibia40,571
South Africa FlagRobertsonSouth Africa40,291
Botswana FlagSelebi-PhikweBotswana39,971
South Africa FlagBeaufort WestSouth Africa39,918
South Africa FlagBloemhofSouth Africa39,769
South Africa FlagViljoenskroonSouth Africa39,399
South Africa FlagJan KempdorpSouth Africa38,784
Namibia FlagGobabisNamibia38,433
Namibia FlagOngwedivaNamibia38,381
South Africa FlagBalfourSouth Africa38,162
South Africa FlagWembesiSouth Africa37,867
South Africa FlagDe AarSouth Africa37,123
South Africa FlagPort AlfredSouth Africa35,419
South Africa FlagMpophomeniSouth Africa35,251
Botswana FlagRamotswaBotswana34,842
South Africa FlagBarkly WestSouth Africa34,337
South Africa FlagLadybrandSouth Africa34,249
South Africa FlagNigelSouth Africa33,434
South Africa FlagVentersdorpSouth Africa33,420
South Africa FlagFolweniSouth Africa33,049
South Africa FlagEstcourtSouth Africa32,818
Namibia FlagOndangwaNamibia32,611
Lesotho FlagTeyateyanengLesotho32,297
Namibia FlagHelao NafidiNamibia32,241
South Africa FlagFort BeaufortSouth Africa31,933
Eswatini FlagManziniEswatini31,669
South Africa FlagUlundiSouth Africa31,546
South Africa FlagVolksrustSouth Africa31,386
South Africa FlagSenekalSouth Africa30,814
South Africa FlagHarrismithSouth Africa30,767
South Africa FlagOttosdalSouth Africa30,744
South Africa FlagHartbeestfonteinSouth Africa30,528
South Africa FlagHeilbronSouth Africa30,511
Namibia FlagKeetmanshoopNamibia30,482
Namibia FlagGrootfonteinNamibia30,402
South Africa FlagHartbeestfontein ASouth Africa30,359
Lesotho FlagQacha's NekLesotho30,142
Botswana FlagLobatseBotswana30,050
South Africa FlagDouglasSouth Africa29,658
South Africa FlagGonubieSouth Africa29,572
South Africa FlagChristianaSouth Africa29,531
South Africa FlagMolotoSouth Africa29,505
South Africa FlagMiddelburgSouth Africa29,469
Botswana FlagMmopaneBotswana28,943
South Africa FlagCeresSouth Africa28,855
South Africa FlagMooi RivierSouth Africa28,533
South Africa FlagZastronSouth Africa28,273
South Africa FlagStutterheimSouth Africa28,162
South Africa FlagClydesdaleSouth Africa27,891
South Africa FlagDeneysvilleSouth Africa27,649
South Africa FlagCarolinaSouth Africa27,625
South Africa FlagGroot BrakrivierSouth Africa27,549
South Africa FlagMontaguSouth Africa27,283
South Africa FlagBultfonteinSouth Africa27,232
South Africa FlagColignySouth Africa26,922
Botswana FlagThamagaBotswana26,688
Lesotho FlagThaba-TsekaLesotho26,396
South Africa FlagWesselsbronSouth Africa26,351
South Africa FlagVredendalSouth Africa26,081
South Africa FlagGreytownSouth Africa26,072
South Africa FlagSwellendamSouth Africa25,748
South Africa FlagHoopstadSouth Africa25,738
South Africa FlagColesbergSouth Africa25,642
Botswana FlagMoshupaBotswana25,255
South Africa FlagTheunissenSouth Africa25,157
South Africa FlagReitzSouth Africa25,107
South Africa FlagPhomolongSouth Africa24,808
South Africa FlagGlencoeSouth Africa24,420
South Africa FlagWhittleseaSouth Africa24,401
Botswana FlagTonotaBotswana24,120
South Africa FlagKrielSouth Africa23,301
South Africa FlagRiversdaleSouth Africa23,003
South Africa FlagSomerset EastSouth Africa22,795
South Africa FlagRitchieSouth Africa22,623
South Africa FlagVerenaSouth Africa22,434
South Africa FlagZeerustSouth Africa21,916
Botswana FlagBobonongBotswana21,880
Botswana FlagGabaneBotswana21,746
Lesotho FlagMokhotlongLesotho21,652
Botswana FlagGhanziBotswana21,044
South Africa FlagBredasdorpSouth Africa20,851
South Africa FlagBurgersdorpSouth Africa20,530
Namibia FlagMarientalNamibia20,406
South Africa FlagMarquardSouth Africa20,003
South Africa FlagNcotshaneSouth Africa19,865
Namibia FlagEenhanaNamibia19,273
South Africa FlagClocolanSouth Africa19,128
Botswana FlagJwanengBotswana19,066
Botswana FlagTutumeBotswana18,965
South Africa FlagAllanridgeSouth Africa18,847
South Africa FlagUmzintoSouth Africa18,729
South Africa FlagAmandelbult MineSouth Africa18,664
South Africa FlagVaalbankSouth Africa18,242
South Africa FlagTshiameSouth Africa18,231
South Africa FlagVredeSouth Africa18,099
Lesotho FlagRomaLesotho18,080
South Africa FlagDimbazaSouth Africa17,780
Namibia FlagOutjoNamibia17,407
Namibia FlagLuderitzNamibia17,213
South Africa FlagRedhillSouth Africa16,591
South Africa FlagVilliersSouth Africa16,025
Namibia FlagOutapiNamibia15,875
Eswatini FlagMpakaEswatini15,699
Botswana FlagKopongBotswana15,463
Botswana FlagTati SidingBotswana13,950
Namibia FlagOpuwoNamibia13,891
Botswana FlagMmadinareBotswana13,602
South Africa FlagElliotSouth Africa13,376
South Africa FlagPhalaborwaSouth Africa13,367
Botswana FlagGumareBotswana12,677
Botswana FlagTsabongBotswana12,637
Botswana FlagMetsimotlhabaBotswana12,573
South Africa FlagFrischgewaagdSouth Africa12,561
Namibia FlagOtaviNamibia12,497
Eswatini FlagNhlanganoEswatini12,477
Namibia FlagOmaruruNamibia12,311
Namibia FlagNkurenkuruNamibia12,156
Botswana FlagShakaweBotswana12,006
Botswana FlagOodiBotswana11,919
Botswana FlagBokaaBotswana10,412
Botswana FlagKazungulaBotswana10,366
Botswana FlagBorolongBotswana10,274
Namibia FlagKhorixasNamibia10,155
Namibia FlagKaribibNamibia9,549
Eswatini FlagMatsaphaEswatini9,161
Botswana FlagMolapowabojangBotswana9,159
Botswana FlagKasaneBotswana9,127
Namibia FlagOranjemundNamibia8,988
Namibia FlagOmuthiyaNamibia8,783
Botswana FlagLetlhakengBotswana8,748
Namibia FlagOkahaoNamibia8,697
Botswana FlagShoshongBotswana8,599
Namibia FlagHenties BayNamibia8,517
Botswana FlagOrapaBotswana8,327
Botswana FlagSeseBotswana8,281
Botswana FlagNataBotswana8,166
Namibia FlagOtjineneNamibia7,989
Namibia FlagOkakararaNamibia7,899
Botswana FlagTsienyaneBotswana7,818
Botswana FlagMmankgodiBotswana7,612
Eswatini FlagHlatikuluEswatini7,484
Namibia FlagKarasburgNamibia7,333
Botswana FlagLeralaBotswana7,325
Botswana FlagKumakwaneBotswana7,285
Botswana FlagLentsweletauBotswana7,283
Eswatini FlagMalkernsEswatini7,121
Botswana FlagKangBotswana7,047
Botswana FlagRamotswa Station/TaungBotswana7,026
Namibia FlagRuacanaNamibia6,900
Botswana FlagShashe-MookeBotswana6,812
Namibia FlagDivunduNamibia6,724
Botswana FlagRasesaBotswana6,705
Botswana FlagOtseBotswana6,701
Eswatini FlagBig BendEswatini6,536
Botswana FlagLotlhakaneBotswana6,488
Botswana FlagMasungaBotswana6,416
Namibia FlagOshikukuNamibia6,389
Botswana FlagMathangwaneBotswana6,225
Eswatini FlagPigg's PeakEswatini6,127
Namibia FlagAranosNamibia6,070
Botswana FlagSefopheBotswana5,979
Botswana FlagMaitengweBotswana5,943
Namibia FlagArandisNamibia5,874
Botswana FlagCharles HillBotswana5,713
Botswana FlagSefhareBotswana5,664
Botswana FlagGwetaBotswana5,637
Namibia FlagUsakosNamibia5,562
Botswana FlagTsetsebjweBotswana5,559
Botswana FlagMmathetheBotswana5,546
Botswana FlagChadibeBotswana5,528
Botswana FlagMorwaBotswana5,505
Botswana FlagHukuntsiBotswana5,431
Botswana FlagGoodhopeBotswana5,421
Eswatini FlagEzulwiniEswatini4,673
Namibia FlagGibeonNamibia4,609
Namibia FlagKamanjabNamibia4,549
Eswatini FlagNgwenyaEswatini4,511
Eswatini FlagMhlambanyatsiEswatini4,409
Namibia FlagOkongoNamibia4,004
Botswana FlagSowaBotswana3,942
Eswatini FlagNgomaneEswatini3,920
Namibia FlagStamprietNamibia3,891
Namibia FlagMaltahoheNamibia3,805
Eswatini FlagVuvulaneEswatini3,594
Eswatini FlagMhlumeEswatini3,507
Eswatini FlagSitekiEswatini3,457
Namibia FlagTsandiNamibia3,015
Namibia FlagAroabNamibia2,980
Namibia FlagWitvleiNamibia2,909
Namibia FlagBethanieNamibia2,560
Namibia FlagKoesNamibia2,497
Namibia FlagLeonardvilleNamibia2,418
Eswatini FlagLavumisaEswatini2,293
Namibia FlagTsesNamibia2,273
Namibia FlagBukaloNamibia2,248
Eswatini FlagSidvokodvoEswatini2,164
Namibia FlagGochasNamibia2,103
Eswatini FlagSimunyeEswatini1,754
Namibia FlagKalkrandNamibia1,709
Eswatini FlagMankayaneEswatini1,466
Eswatini FlagBhunyaEswatini1,416
Namibia FlagBersebaNamibia1,052
Eswatini FlagTjaneniEswatini614
Eswatini FlagTabankuluEswatini524
Eswatini FlagBulembuEswatini401
Eswatini FlagNsoko PlantersEswatini54

Southern Africa Cities Overview

South Africa thoroughly dominates the region’s urban environment, with Cape Town leading as the largest city with 5M residents. Durban follows closely with 3.3M inhabitants, while Johannesburg maintains 12M residents.

The Gauteng urban region of South Africa contains several major cities, especially Pretoria (3.3M). This creates one of Africa’s largest metropolitan concentrations. Secondary cities in South Africa include Port Elizabeth (1M) and Pietermaritzburg (584.7K).

Beyond South Africa, the region’s capitals serve as primary urban centers for their respective nations: Windhoek in Namibia has 537.3K residents, while Gaborone in Botswana maintains 251.7K inhabitants.

Sources

  1. World Urbanization Prospects 2025 - United Nations population estimates and projections of major Urban Agglomerations
  2. World Population Prospects (2024 Revision) - United Nations population estimates and projections.