City of Tshwane
Pretoria is South Africa’s administrative capital and seat of government. The city of two million citizens falls under the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality and has a varied economy.

In 2011, the District Municipality of Metsweding was added to Tshwane, thus bringing the towns of Bronkhorstspruit and Cullinan under the metro. This north-eastern part of the province has an economically varied profile that includes mining and flower cultivation. Services make up the biggest economic sector (27%) with manufacturing, finances and trade following in importance. Mining is still strong, for which the town of Cullinan is historically important, as the largest-ever diamonds were found there.

The Nan Hua Buddhist Temple in Bronkhorstspruit is the largest Buddhist temple in South Africa. The Jacaranda City could be known by any number of other nicknames; among them Diplomatic City and Research City.

Pretoria has:
• the embassies of every foreign country represented in South Africa
• the University of Pretoria, the University of South Africa and the Tshwane University of Technology
• the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) and the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC)
• the National Research Foundation, South African Biodiversity Institute, Sports High Performance Institute, Africa Institute of South Africa, Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute, Institute for African Renaissance Studies
• the Innovation Hub (CSIR, the University of Pretoria and Gauteng Provincial Government).
• Automotive Supplier Park, Rosslyn
• BMW, Ford, Tata truck assembly plant and Renault-Nissan all operating at Rosslyn
• other industries that include food and beverages and metal products
• services (with government making up a significant part) contribute 65% to the city’s economy, with industry (21%) and commerce (12.5%) making up the bulk of the remainder

City of Johannesburg
The City of Johannesburg tasted political power for the first time when it became Gauteng’s provincial capital after 1994, but it has always been Southern Africa’s economic powerhouse, from the day gold was discovered in 1886. The mineral wealth uncovered on the Witwatersrand was the basis of South Africa’s conversion to an industrialised country. Unsurprisingly, a lot of that industry grew up around Johannesburg.

Today, the city does most of its business in financial services (banking, investment and insurance), commerce, trade and manufacturing. Media, advertising and IT are other strong sectors. Most major banks are headquartered in the city, as is Africa’s largest stock exchange, the JSE Securities Exchange.

During the apartheid era, Johannesburg inspired reggae singer Eddy Grant to sing about it. His ‘Gimme hope Johanna’ became an anthem of the anti-apartheid movement. Like the song, the city of Johannesburg is a place that conjures up contrasting emotions.

Johannesburg sets the pace. It is where companies position their headquarters. The city’s population of over three million has a wide choice of sports to play and watch at a superb collection of stadiums. Despite its built-up nature, Johannesburg can boast of some splendid parks and places like the Johannesburg Zoo and Bruma Lake are extremely popular. Frequent music concerts are held in public open areas and the city has more than 300 heritage sites and about 30 major galleries and museums. These include the moving Apartheid Museum at Gold Reef City and Museum Africa in Newtown.

Creative initiatives to reinvigorate the inner city of Johannesburg are paying off. City agencies such as the Johannesburg Development Agency are investing in infrastructure like pavements and public art, which has helped to persuade businesses to follow suit. The central business district is South Africa’s largest urban development zone at 18 square kilometres; businesses investing there attract generous tax concessions. Sandton, however, has firmly established itself as a new commercial hub and is in the process of greatly expanding its retail and office space.

Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality
Ekurhuleni includes the towns of Germiston, Boksburg, Benoni, Kempton Park and Springs. Ekurhuleni plays a vital role in the national economy. Firstly, it is the site of OR Tambo International Airport. A major international airports conference will be held in the city in 2013 and plans are under way to develop the country’s first aerotropolis around Ekurhuleni.

Secondly, it is home to a large number of manufacturing enterprises, which contribute 20% of Gauteng’s gross domestic product (GDP). The metropolitan municipality is also one of the most densely populated areas of South Africa. Wadeville-Alrode and Germiston-Daveyton are important industrial corridors. Germiston is home to the Rand Refinery Limited, South Africa’s only gold refinery.

The lakes at Brakpan and Benoni are popular sites for recreation, and the former town has a casino. Several hotels, particularly those near the airport, have conference and event facilities. The World Trade Centre, near OR Tambo International Airport, is one of South Africa’s biggest conference venues.