Quick facts
Rustenburg overview
Rustenburg (orange) and the other large cities of South Africa
Rustenburg lies in North West in South Africa at 25.67°S, 27.24°E, about 1,171 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Johannesburg (UTC+2); GeoNames classifies it as a local seat.
It is smaller than Krugersdorp (378,821) and larger than Emalahleni (373,403). The largest city in South Africa is Johannesburg with 9,418,183 people; the capital, Pretoria, has 2,112,693.
The national capital, Pretoria, is about 95 km away; the nearest large city is Brits, 54 km from Rustenburg.
South Africa as a whole has a live population of 65,659,950 (+1.1% a year) and ranks #24 of 238 countries — see the South Africa population page for the full statistics and the South Africa atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Rustenburg
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Brits North West | 54 km | 122,497 |
| Krugersdorp Gauteng | 71 km | 378,821 |
| Randfontein Gauteng | 74 km | 133,654 |
| Carletonville Gauteng | 79 km | 182,304 |
| Westonaria Gauteng | 83 km | 156,831 |
| Roodepoort Gauteng | 84 km | 326,416 |
| Mabopane Gauteng | 84 km | 110,972 |
| Soshanguve Gauteng | 89 km | 872,309 |
Largest cities in South Africa
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannesburg | Gauteng | 9,418,183 |
| 2 | Cape Town | Western Cape | 4,772,846 |
| 3 | Durban | KwaZulu-Natal | 3,338,026 |
| 4 | PretoriaCapital | Gauteng | 2,112,693 |
| 5 | Soweto | Gauteng | 1,695,047 |
| 6 | Gqeberha | Eastern Cape | 1,050,078 |
| 7 | Soshanguve | Gauteng | 872,309 |
| 8 | Pietermaritzburg | KwaZulu-Natal | 839,327 |
| 9 | Evaton | Gauteng | 725,468 |
| 10 | Benoni | Gauteng | 605,344 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Rustenburg?
Rustenburg has about 373,695 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Rustenburg the capital of South Africa?
No. The capital of South Africa is Pretoria (2,112,693 people), about 95 km away. Rustenburg is the 19th largest city of the country and a local seat.
How big is Rustenburg compared with the rest of South Africa?
Its 373,695 residents are 0.6% of the 65,659,950 people living in South Africa today. Johannesburg is larger with 9,418,183 people.
Where is Rustenburg?
In North West, South Africa, at latitude -25.67 and longitude 27.24, 1,171 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Brits (54 km), Krugersdorp (71 km), Randfontein (74 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Rustenburg Population 2026 — South Africa. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/rustenburg/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/south-africa/rustenburg/">Rustenburg Population 2026 — South Africa</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-22. More about our data.