The maps illustrate changes in the distribution of home languages spoken in Cape Town in 2001 and 2011. The key languages spoken are Afrikaans, English, and Xhosa, along with areas where no language is dominant.
Overall, the data reveals a shift in language dominance over the decade. In 2001, while the population with no language dominant had the highest percentage, Afrikaans was widely spoken across many regions, especially in the Northern Suburbs and Palse Bay areas, followed by English. By 2011, the number of Afrikaans speakers surpassed the population with no dominant language, as Afrikaans became more prominent, absorbing(-) speakers from other languages.
In 2001, the Cape Winelands and Gordon’s Bay regions had no dominant language, making the no-language-dominant group the largest population among the key languages spoken. Followed by Afrikaans being dominant in the Northern Suburbs and Palse Bay regions. English was primarily spoken in the Cape Peninsula Region, while Xhosa had the smallest percentage of speakers, with a limited presence across Cape Town, mainly in the Palse Bay region.
By 2011, Afrikaans speakers had surpassed the number of no-language-dominant speakers, becoming the most widely spoken language in Cape Town. The Cape Winelands, which was previously dominated by no-language-dominant speakers in 2001, saw a significant shift, with approximately 80% of its population speaking Afrikaans by 2011. Afrikaans speakers were also more widely distributed across Cape Town, including areas like the Cape Peninsula Region, where English had been the dominant language.