Explore Cape Town data
We group the city's data pages into four topics (economy, environment, infrastructure and safety) and show which of them cover each area, from the whole country down to a single neighbourhood.
Economy
We follow the rand, interest rates, inflation, property prices and rents, and explain what their movements mean for household budgets.
What it means: Interest rates sit 2.8 points above inflation, so borrowing costs more than prices are rising and savings keep their value. The repo rate was raised by 0.25 points on 23 Sep 2026, from 7.00%. In the carry trade, investors borrow where interest rates are low, as in the US, and place the money where rates are high, as in South Africa, keeping the difference for as long as the rand holds its value. At present the margin is thin, because the repo rate is only 3.3 points above the US Fed funds rate (4.00%), a gap that a single bad week for the rand can wipe out. US 10-year Treasuries pay about 5.00% (23 Oct 2026), 2.3 points under the repo rate. Cape Town prices are rising faster than the country as a whole (8.2%). After inflation that is about 6.7% of real growth, so homes are becoming dearer in real terms as well as in price. Rents are up 9.7% in a year, ahead of inflation (4.5%), so renting takes a bigger share of pay. The national average is R9,715.
- FX rates R16.59 per US dollar National exchange rate, the same everywhere The rand is 0.1% weaker against the dollar than a week ago, when it stood at R16.57, which makes imports and fuel dearer.
- Economy tracker 7.25% repo · 4.5% inflation SARB repo rate since 23 Sep 2026; Stats SA CPI, September 2026 National figure, the same everywhere Interest rates sit 2.8 points above inflation, so borrowing costs more than prices are rising and savings keep their value. The repo rate was raised by 0.25 points on 23 Sep 2026, from 7.00%. In the carry trade, investors borrow where interest rates are low, as in the US, and place the money where rates are high, as in South Africa, keeping the difference for as long as the rand holds its value. At present the margin is thin, because the repo rate is only 3.3 points above the US Fed funds rate (4.00%), a gap that a single bad week for the rand can wipe out. US 10-year Treasuries pay about 5.00% (23 Oct 2026), 2.3 points under the repo rate.
- Property market +11.5% house price index, year to May 2026 Cape Town, by district Cape Town prices are rising faster than the country as a whole (8.2%). After inflation that is about 6.7% of real growth, so homes are becoming dearer in real terms as well as in price.
- Rental market R12,561 average rent a month, Western Cape Cape Town districts and wards Rents are up 9.7% in a year, ahead of inflation (4.5%), so renting takes a bigger share of pay. The national average is R9,715.
- Affordability By neighbourhood monthly costs by household Cape Town neighbourhoods We add up rent, groceries, transport and other costs for a household in each neighbourhood.
Environment
The environment pages report rainfall, the level of the City's supply dams, satellite heat signals from fires and the wind.
What it means: Storage is comfortable and falling, so current levels give no cause for concern about supply. Storage is down 0.7 points on last week. The dams are 14.4 points lower than in the same week last year, when they stood at 87.4%. Rain fell at 18 Western Cape stations in the bulletin's 24 hours, the heaviest fall being 15.0 mm at George Witfontein. Satellites picked up 3 heat-signal groups in the Western Cape in the last 24 hours. None is a high-confidence detection, which suggests small or short-lived burns.
- Rainfall Dry last 24 hours, City Bowl station SAWS weather stations Rain fell at 18 Western Cape stations in the bulletin's 24 hours, the heaviest fall being 15.0 mm at George Witfontein.
- Dam levels + Infrastructure 73.0% full, City supply dams City supply dams Storage is comfortable and falling, so current levels give no cause for concern about supply. Storage is down 0.7 points on last week. The dams are 14.4 points lower than in the same week last year, when they stood at 87.4%.
- Fire and heat signals + Safety 3 heat-signal groups, last 24 hours Satellite heat signals, Western Cape Satellites picked up 3 heat-signal groups in the Western Cape in the last 24 hours. None is a high-confidence detection, which suggests small or short-lived burns.
- Wind 4.9 m/s at Sea Point Cape Town readings and beaches Southerly, Light (gusts to 31 km/h). A southerly behaves like a weaker south-easter, so False Bay remains the safe choice.
Infrastructure
The infrastructure pages cover the roads, among them the drive to the airport and the mountain passes, together with the electricity supply.
What it means: Neither Eskom nor the City is shedding load right now. Franschhoek Pass (Closed until further notice (official closure)) is reported closed, so journeys that use it need another route. The drive to the airport is usually quick at this hour. Allowing up to 15 min covers nine in ten of the recorded drives. No readings were taken at night; overnight the N2 normally runs freely.
- Traffic and airport commute 15–15 min typical drive to the airport at this hour V&A Waterfront to the airport The drive to the airport is usually quick at this hour. Allowing up to 15 min covers nine in ten of the recorded drives. No readings were taken at night; overnight the N2 normally runs freely.
- Mountain passes + Safety 7 of 8 open mountain passes 8 passes in and near Cape Town Franschhoek Pass (Closed until further notice (official closure)) is reported closed, so journeys that use it need another route.
- Load shedding + Economy No load shedding City of Cape Town stage now City of Cape Town stage Neither Eskom nor the City is shedding load right now.
Safety
The safety pages bring together crime reports for individual areas and a safety score for every City ward.
What it means: Each report takes the SAPS station figures for an area, quarter by quarter, and says which crimes rose or fell and by how much. Each City ward has a single score, so two neighbourhoods a road apart can be compared on the same footing, and the map shows where the city is safer and where it is less safe.
- Crime reports 11 crime reports crime reports with their sources Crime reports by area Each report takes the SAPS station figures for an area, quarter by quarter, and says which crimes rose or fell and by how much.
- Crime map 116 wards a safety score for every ward 116 City wards Each City ward has a single score, so two neighbourhoods a road apart can be compared on the same footing, and the map shows where the city is safer and where it is less safe.
- Ward safety index 5 pillars behind every ward score 116 City wards Each ward is scored 1 to 10 (10 safest) from our ward research and the Western Cape Gang Monitor, weighted violent crime 35%, organised crime & gangs 20%, street & personal crime 15%, residential & property crime 15%, vehicle crime 15%. Where a district report covers the ward's police station, the latest SAPS figures are shown beside the score.
Also belongs to this topic
- Fire and heat signals From Environment 3 heat-signal groups, last 24 hours Satellite heat signals, Western Cape Satellites picked up 3 heat-signal groups in the Western Cape in the last 24 hours. None is a high-confidence detection, which suggests small or short-lived burns.
- Mountain passes From Infrastructure 7 of 8 open mountain passes 8 passes in and near Cape Town Franschhoek Pass (Closed until further notice (official closure)) is reported closed, so journeys that use it need another route.
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