Which city is South Africa's administrative capital?

Pretoria is South Africa's administrative capital. It serves as the seat of the executive branch, hosting national government departments, foreign embassies, and the official presidential complex.

South Africa has a deliberately divided capital system, which causes frequent quiz confusion. Cape Town is the legislative capital, where Parliament meets, while Bloemfontein is the judicial capital. Pretoria's role is administrative: the president and cabinet conduct the executive business of the national government there.

The city was founded in 1855 by Marthinus Pretorius and named after his father, Andries Pretorius, a prominent Voortrekker leader. Pretoria became the capital of the South African Republic in 1860. After the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, it became the administrative capital of the whole country.

Pretoria is also known as the Jacaranda City because of its many jacaranda trees, which produce a striking purple display when they flower. It is part of the City of Tshwane metropolitan municipality, although Pretoria remains the familiar and widely accepted name for the administrative capital.