List of tallest buildings in South Africa


is the most structurally and economically developed nation on the African continent. As such, its major cities have experienced construction booms that most other cities of similar size in Africa have not. Advanced development is significantly localised around five areas: Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban, Bloemfontein and Pretoria/Johannesburg. Beyond these five economic centres, development is marginal and poverty is still prevalent despite government efforts. Consequently, the vast majority of South Africans are poor. However, key marginal areas have experienced rapid growth. Such areas include the Garden Route, Rustenburg area, Nelspruit area, Cape West Coast, and the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.

Tallest buildings

This list ranks South African buildings that stand at least tall, based on standard height measurement. This includes spires and architectural details.
NameHeight FloorsBuiltCityNotes
The Leonardo234 m 552019JohannesburgTallest building in Africa since 2019
Carlton Centre501973JohannesburgWas the tallest building in South Africa and on the Continent of Africa until 2019
Ponte City Apartments541975JohannesburgTallest residential building in Africa.
34Johannesburg
Marble Towers321973Johannesburg
South African Reserve Bank Building381988PretoriaTallest building in Pretoria
88 on Field261985DurbanTallest building in Durban Central.
Sandton City Office Tower221973SandtonTopped out in 2014.
Michelangelo Towers342005SandtonThe tallest hotel in South Africa.
ABSA Tower321970Johannesburg
KwaDukuza eGoli Hotel Tower 1401970JohannesburgMothballed since 1998
Trust Bank Building311970Johannesburg
Portside Tower322014Cape TownTallest building in Cape Town.
Standard Bank Centre341968Johannesburg
Southern Life Centre301973Johannesburg
Monte Blanc401985Durban
ABSA Tower Pretoria381976Pretoria
Old Mutual Centre331995Durban
UCS Building291976Johannesburg
1 Thibault Square311972Cape Town
The Spinnaker272007Durban
Kine Centre271974Johannesburg
Embassy Building281991Durban
Metlife Centre 281993Cape Town
Atterbury House291976Cape Town
Carlton Hotel301973JohannesburgMothballed since 1997
Pearl Breeze252010Durban
Southern Sun Garden Court Marine Parade281985Durban
Southern Sun Garden Court North Beach331978Durban
ABSA Centre Cape Town341970Cape Town
Radiopark301962Johannesburg
Civitas Building311973Pretoria
320 West Street301973Durban
Poyntons Centre301968Pretoria
Schlesinger Building211965Johannesburg
Golden Acre281979Cape Town
Protea Hotel Landmark Lodge311976Durban
The Palace261986Durban
Agricultural Union Centre301968Pretoria
John Ross House331973Durban
Durban Bay House321986Durban
Southern Sun Cape Sun321982Cape Town
Highpoint Hillbrow251972Johannesburg
Radisson Blu Hotel & Residence261993Cape Town
Maluti331984Durban
Transnet Tower271973Durban
Pearl Sky312010Durban
101 Victoria Embankment381981Durban
Servamus House251973Durban
Saambou Building301951Pretoria
Western Cape Provincial Administration Building261976Cape Town
Loch Logan Park201983Bloemfontein
Bowmans Gilfillan Building182017Sandton

Cities with the most skyscrapers

This table shows South African cities with at least one skyscraper over 100 metres in height, completed.
RankCity≥100 m≥150 m≥200 m≥250 mTotal
1Durban181––19
2Johannesburg1322–17
3Cape Town9–––9
4Pretoria61––7
5Sandton2–1–3
6Bloemfontein2–––2

Notable buildings in Johannesburg

features a variety of commercial and residential buildings, so there are also a few modern buildings such as the KwaDukuza eGoli Hotel and the Trust Bank Building. The Johannesburg-Pretoria combined metropolitan area has the densest concentration of skyscrapers on the continent and one of the densest in the world.
Carlton Centre is a skyscraper and shopping centre located in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa. At 223 metres, it is the tallest building in Africa and about half the height of the Willis Tower in Chicago. It was the tallest building in the southern hemisphere when originally completed. The Carlton Centre has 50 floors, and is tall, about short of featuring in the world's top 100 skyscrapers. The foundations of the two buildings in the complex are in diameter and extend down to the bedrock, below street level. The building houses both offices and shops, and has over 46 per cent of the floor area below ground level. A viewing deck on the 50th floor offers views of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
Ponte City is a skyscraper in the Hillbrow neighborhood of Johannesburg, South Africa. It was built in 1975 to a height of 173 m, making it the tallest residential skyscraper in Africa. The 54-story building is cylindrical, with an open center allowing additional light into the apartments. The center space is known as "the core" and rises above an uneven rock floor. Ponte City was an extremely desirable address for its views over all of Johannesburg and its surroundings. The sign on top of the building is the highest and largest sign in the southern hemisphere. It advertises the South African mobile phone company Vodacom.
Marble Towers is a skyscraper in the Central Business District of Johannesburg, South Africa. It was built in 1973 and is 32 storeys tall. The building has an eight-storey parking garage attached to it. It has the biggest electronic sign in the Southern Hemisphere, measuring. It is made out of a mixture of concrete and marble. Its main use is for commercial offices.
KwaDukuza eGoli Hotel is a skyscraper in the Central Business District of Johannesburg, South Africa. The complex, built in 1970 originally as "The Tollman Towers", were two separate towers, one 40 stories and the other 22, linked by a four-story podium with a pool deck and a running track. The building was empty for many years as the hotel, The Johannesburg Sun, relocated to Sandton. The building was then converted to a Holiday Inn, which also quickly failed. The new KwaDukuza eGoli Hotel opened in 2001, when it hosted 3000 police officers for the world summit on sustainable development, it was owned Mark Whitehead of Whitehead Enterprises, then also soon went out of business. The building is "mothballed."
Sandton City is a shopping centre located in Sandton, Johannesburg that was built as pioneer centre in 1973. The tower was built as part of a business park for downtown Sandton, a suburb of Johannesburg. Liberty Properties announced in 2008 that Sandton City would receive a R1.77 billion upgrade. Liberty Properties Chief Executive Samuel Ogbo envisaged the complex as South Africa's very own Wall Street The redevelopment will include the construction of a 60-storey office tower, new retail and office space and residential apartments. The extension will stretch to and the total complex will have a gross lettable area of.
Trust Bank Building is a skyscraper in the Central Business District of Johannesburg, South Africa. It was built in 1970 to a height of. The building is the former head office of Trust Bank of South Africa, and as such has one of the largest bank vaults in South Africa. The building was sold in February 2003 for Rand 6.4 million, which may prompt the name to be changed to that of the new tenant.
11 Diagonal Street is a skyscraper in Johannesburg, South Africa. It was built in 1984 to a height of. It is designed to look like a diamond as it reflects different views of the Central Business District from each angle of the building.
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Timeline of tallest buildings in South Africa

Timeline of tallest buildings over 100 m. Includes all buildings. Excludes all demolished or destroyed buildings.
NameCityYears as tallestMetersFeetFloorsPhoto
The LeonardoSandton2019-present23476755
Carlton CentreJohannesburg1973–201922373250
Marble TowersJohannesburg1973-197315249932
KwaDukuza eGoli Hotel Tower 1Johannesburg1970-197314046040
Trust Bank BuildingJohannesburg1970-197314046031
Standard Bank CentreJohannesburg1968-197013945634
RadioparkJohannesburg1962-196811738430
Saambou BuildingPretoria1961-196210233530

Tallest topped out, under construction, approved, proposed and on hold

This lists skyscrapers that are topped out, under construction, on hold, approved or proposed in South Africa, but are not yet completed structures as of 2020.

Tallest buildings that are visions that have not been canceled

This lists visions that are over tall and are not canceled.
NameHeightFloorsYearCity
Durban Iconic Tower88TBCDurban
The Cullinan Square47TBCCape Town