Ekurhuleni vs Harare

Harare leads Ekurhuleni by 1 points on the CIRA Index, 68 to 67. Ekurhuleni grades better on 5 measures, Harare on 8; the same 35 measures from public sources for both.

Scores by each organisation's criteria

• CIRA Index: Ekurhuleni 67, Harare 68
• OECD: Ekurhuleni 63, Harare 61
• UN Tourism: Ekurhuleni 64, Harare 61
• UNDRR: Ekurhuleni 58, Harare 51

Theme by theme

• Demand and seasonality: Ekurhuleni 63, Harare 75
• Economy and jobs: Ekurhuleni 50, Harare 50
• Climate and hazards: Ekurhuleni 65, Harare 75
• Water and environment: Ekurhuleni 67, Harare 56
• Community and housing: Ekurhuleni 88, Harare 100
• Access and continuity: Ekurhuleni 54, Harare 42

Where Ekurhuleni is stronger

• Income per head: 15,906 GDP per capita, USD PPP (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 15,000 and 30,000: grade 1/4.
• Wastewater safely treated: 88.1 % of domestic wastewater safely treated (City of Ekurhuleni, Sustainable Development Goals Baseline Assessment Report, 2024/25). Between 85 and 95: grade 3/4.
• Access redundancy: 3 independent ways in: international airport, intercity rail, port, motorway (metro figure) (City of Ekurhuleni, Spatial Profile and Aerotropolis Master Plan, 2024). Between 3 and 4: grade 3/4.
• Tourism crisis and recovery plan: Crisis communication only, ad hoc (Bedfordview Edenvale News / City of Ekurhuleni, 2023). Grade 1/4.
• Government effectiveness: 45.8 World Bank WGI percentile rank, 0–100 (country figure) (World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, 2025). Between 40 and 60: grade 2/4.

Where Harare is stronger

• Largest foreign market: 20.3 % of international arrivals or nights (country figure) (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) First Quarter Tourism Performance Report, via The Herald / ATQ News, Q1 2026). Between 20 and 30: grade 2/4.
• Hotel bed or room occupancy: 51 % average annual occupancy (Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (Domestic Tourism & Strategic Research Division), Tourism Trends and Statistics Report, 2024). Between 45 and 55: grade 1/4.
• Unemployment rate: 9.3 % of the labour force (country figure) (World Bank WDI, 2025). Between 8 and 12: grade 2/4.
• Flood hazard: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Country disaster risk: 4.9 INFORM Risk index, 0–10 (country figure) (INFORM Risk (European Commission JRC), INFORM Risk Mid 2026, 2026). Between 3.5 and 5: grade 2/4.
• Water scarcity: very low (region figure) (World Bank GFDRR ThinkHazard, current (retrieved 2026)). Grade 4/4.
• Municipal waste per resident: 204.4 kg per resident per year (UN-Habitat, Waste Wise Cities Tool in Harare, Zimbabwe Factsheet, 2021). At or below 350: grade 4/4.
• Dedicated tourism funding: A dedicated source such as a tourist tax or levy (Judicial Service Commission / Parliament of Zimbabwe, Tourism Act, 2026). Grade 2/4.

Country context (World Economic Forum)

• South Africa: #61 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026
• Zimbabwe: #101 of 110 in the WEF Travel & Tourism Development Index 2026

Ekurhuleni in full · Harare in full

The CIRA Index ranking · City vs city · How the index works · CIRA Studio · Put your city in the pilot