Current local time in Cape Town, South Africa
The live clock above shows the time in Cape Town. Cape Town is in the Africa/Johannesburg time zone, UTC+2 right now (SAST).
| Country | South Africa |
|---|---|
| Region | Western Cape |
| Population | about 2.8 million |
| Coordinates | 33.92° S, 18.43° E |
| Time zone | Africa/Johannesburg |
| Abbreviation | SAST |
| UTC offset | UTC+2 |
| Daylight saving time | No |
Daylight saving time
Cape Town doesn't use daylight saving time. It stays on UTC+2 (SAST) all year.
Sunrise, sunset and daylight
Today: sunrise …, sunset …, .
| 2026 | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | 6:49 AM | 6:58 PM | 12 h 9 min |
| June solstice | 7:51 AM | 5:44 PM | 9 h 53 min |
| September equinox | 6:36 AM | 6:42 PM | 12 h 5 min |
| December solstice | 5:31 AM | 7:56 PM | 14 h 24 min |
Clock time vs. sun time
The sun is highest over Cape Town at about 12:55 PM in mid-January. On standard time, local clocks run about 46 minutes ahead of the sun, because Cape Town sits at 18.4° E, while its time zone is centred on 30.0° E.
Cape Town time compared with other cities
| City | Time now | Compared with Cape Town |
|---|---|---|
| New York | 7 hours behind in Jan, 6 hours behind in Jul | |
| Los Angeles | 10 hours behind in Jan, 9 hours behind in Jul | |
| London | 2 hours behind in Jan, 1 hour behind in Jul | |
| Paris | 1 hour behind in Jan, same time in Jul | |
| Dubai | 2 hours ahead | |
| Mumbai | 3.5 hours ahead | |
| Shanghai | 6 hours ahead | |
| Tokyo | 7 hours ahead | |
| Sydney | 9 hours ahead in Jan, 8 hours ahead in Jul |
Nearby cities
| City | Distance | Time now vs Cape Town |
|---|---|---|
| Paarl | 54 km (34 mi) | same time |
| Worcester | 98 km (61 mi) | same time |
| George | 370 km (230 mi) | same time |
| Uitenhage | 642 km (399 mi) | same time |
| Port Elizabeth | 661 km (411 mi) | same time |
| Kimberley | 832 km (517 mi) | same time |
| Bhisho | 839 km (521 mi) | same time |
| East London | 881 km (548 mi) | same time |
Other cities in South Africa
- Johannesburg
- Durban
- Benoni
- Pretoria
- Port Elizabeth
- Vereeniging
- Pietermaritzburg
- Bloemfontein
- East London
- Welkom
- Uitenhage
- Springs
- Mbombela
- Polokwane
- Klerksdorp
- Paarl
- Thohoyandou
- Kimberley
Questions people ask
What time zone is Cape Town in?
Cape Town is in the Africa/Johannesburg time zone, UTC+2, all year.
Does Cape Town have daylight saving time?
Cape Town doesn't use daylight saving time. It stays on UTC+2 (SAST) all year.
Why isn't noon in Cape Town when the sun is highest?
Because time zones are wide. Cape Town's clocks follow a zone centred on 30.0° E, so on standard time they run about 46 minutes ahead of the sun. Daylight saving time adds another hour.
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Time zone data: IANA tz database 2026e. Population: Natural Earth (approximate).