Qibla direction in South Africa
The Qibla in South Africa lies towards the north. Depending on the city the angle from true north ranges from 9.2° in Mtubatuba to 24.1° in Saldanha, and the Kaaba is between 4,981 km and 6,593 km away. The table gives the exact bearing for 297 cities.
Stand facing true north, then turn clockwise by the angle of your city. A phone compass shows magnetic north, which in South Africa can differ from true north by a few degrees; our Qibla finder corrects this automatically when your phone reports true heading.
Why the Qibla changes across the country
Between the cities in the table the Qibla angle varies by 14.8°. Musina is the closest to the Kaaba (4,981 km) and Gansbaai the farthest (6,593 km). The farther apart two cities are, the more their bearings to Makkah diverge, which is why the angle of the capital, 14.5°, should not be used everywhere.
Inside a mosque, the mihrab already shows the Qibla. Elsewhere, a compass app, the position of the sun or our Qibla finder can be used; scholars agree that facing the general direction is enough when the exact angle cannot be known.
Qibla in South Africa: questions
What is the Qibla direction in Pretoria?
14.5° from true north, towards the north, 5,393 km from the Kaaba.
Which city in South Africa is closest to Makkah?
Musina, 4,981 km from the Kaaba, among the 297 cities listed.
Does a phone compass show the right Qibla?
Only if it is calibrated and corrected for magnetic declination. Turn the phone in a figure 8 and keep it away from metal; our Qibla finder uses the true heading when the phone provides it.
| City | Qibla | Direction | Distance to Makkah |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acornhoek | 11.2° | north | 5,202 km |
| Alberton | 14.5° | north | 5,451 km |
| Alice | 14.7° | north | 6,184 km |
| Aliwal North | 15.2° | north | 5,962 km |
| Allanridge | 15.9° | north | 5,649 km |
| Amandelbult | 15.8° | north | 5,317 km |
| Ashton | 21.7° | north | 6,491 km |
| Atlantis | 23.4° | north-east | 6,520 km |
| Bagale | 15.1° | north | 5,441 km |
| Balfour | 13.8° | north | 5,482 km |
| Ballitoville | 10.2° | north | 5,741 km |
| Barberton | 11.0° | north | 5,334 km |
| Beaufort West | 19.4° | north | 6,255 km |
| Bela Bela | 14.6° | north | 5,298 km |
| Belfast | 12.3° | north | 5,344 km |
| Benoni | 14.3° | north | 5,437 km |
| Bethal | 12.8° | north | 5,440 km |
| Bethlehem | 13.9° | north | 5,658 km |
| Bhisho | 14.0° | north | 6,176 km |
| Bloemfontein | 16.1° | north | 5,806 km |
| Bloemhof | 17.1° | north | 5,666 km |
| Boksburg | 14.3° | north | 5,441 km |
| Bothaville | 16.0° | north | 5,610 km |
| Botshabelo | 15.5° | north | 5,809 km |
| Brakpan | 14.2° | north | 5,441 km |
| Bredasdorp | 21.6° | north | 6,564 km |
| Breyten | 12.2° | north | 5,412 km |
| Brits | 15.0° | north | 5,392 km |
| Bronkhorstspruit | 13.8° | north | 5,386 km |
| Bultfontein | 16.3° | north | 5,719 km |
| Burgersdorp | 15.6° | north | 6,004 km |
| Butterworth | 13.3° | north | 6,105 km |
| Cala | 14.0° | north | 6,028 km |
| Calcutta | 10.9° | north | 5,243 km |
| Caledon | 22.3° | north | 6,554 km |
| Cape Town | 23.4° | north-east | 6,558 km |
| Carletonville | 15.3° | north | 5,479 km |
| Carolina | 12.1° | north | 5,384 km |
| Centurion | 14.5° | north | 5,405 km |
| Ceres | 22.6° | north-east | 6,469 km |
| Christiana | 17.6° | north | 5,708 km |
| Clydesdale | 11.6° | north | 5,847 km |
| Coligny | 16.6° | north | 5,506 km |
| Cradock | 16.1° | north | 6,147 km |
| Cullinan | 14.1° | north | 5,377 km |
| Daggakraal | 12.1° | north | 5,502 km |
| De Aar | 18.2° | north | 6,031 km |
| Delmas | 13.8° | north | 5,424 km |
| Deneysville | 14.4° | north | 5,519 km |
| Despatch | 16.0° | north | 6,326 km |
| Dimbaza | 14.3° | north | 6,180 km |
| Driefontein | 11.6° | north | 5,475 km |
| Driekoppies | 10.4° | north | 5,315 km |
| Duiwelskloof | 12.6° | north | 5,125 km |
| Dundee | 11.6° | north | 5,609 km |
| Durban | 10.4° | north | 5,779 km |
| Durbanville | 23.1° | north-east | 6,541 km |
| Dwarsloop | 11.1° | north | 5,225 km |
| Dysselsdorp | 19.3° | north | 6,387 km |
| East London | 13.5° | north | 6,184 km |
| Edenvale | 14.5° | north | 5,436 km |
| Ekangala | 13.9° | north | 5,371 km |
| Emalahleni | 13.2° | north | 5,382 km |
| eMbalenhle | 13.3° | north | 5,457 km |
| eMkhomazi | 10.6° | north | 5,822 km |
| Empangeni | 9.5° | north | 5,645 km |
| Empuluzu | 11.3° | north | 5,396 km |
| eMuziwezinto | 10.8° | north | 5,835 km |
| Ermelo | 12.2° | north | 5,437 km |
| Eshowe | 10.0° | north | 5,665 km |
| eSikhaleni | 9.5° | north | 5,657 km |
| Estcourt | 11.9° | north | 5,709 km |
| Etwatwa | 14.1° | north | 5,427 km |
| Evaton | 14.8° | north | 5,486 km |
| Fernie | 11.2° | north | 5,405 km |
| Ficksburg | 14.2° | north | 5,737 km |
| Fochville | 15.2° | north | 5,491 km |
| Fort Beaufort | 14.9° | north | 6,187 km |
| Fouriesburg | 13.9° | north | 5,702 km |
| Frankfort | 13.8° | north | 5,551 km |
| Franschhoek | 22.6° | north-east | 6,532 km |
| Frischgewaagd | 10.9° | north | 5,511 km |
| Ga-Malakhe | 11.1° | north | 5,895 km |
| Ga-Rankuwa | 14.8° | north | 5,384 km |
| Gansbaai | 22.3° | north | 6,593 km |
| George | 19.2° | north | 6,427 km |
| Germiston | 14.4° | north | 5,444 km |
| Giyani | 11.9° | north | 5,070 km |
| Glencoe | 11.7° | north | 5,612 km |
| Gonubie | 13.4° | north | 6,174 km |
| Graaff Reinet | 17.3° | north | 6,186 km |
| Grabouw | 22.7° | north-east | 6,560 km |
| Greytown | 11.0° | north | 5,700 km |
| Groot-Brakrivier | 19.4° | north | 6,443 km |
| Hammanskraal | 14.5° | north | 5,354 km |
| Harrismith | 12.9° | north | 5,644 km |
| Hartbeesfontein | 16.4° | north | 5,549 km |
| Hartbeespoort | 14.9° | north | 5,399 km |
| Hartbeestfontein-A | 15.4° | north | 5,378 km |
| Heidelberg | 14.2° | north | 5,471 km |
| Heilbron | 14.4° | north | 5,564 km |
| Hendrina | 12.6° | north | 5,402 km |
| Hennenman | 15.4° | north | 5,663 km |
| Hermanus | 22.4° | north | 6,580 km |
| Hlanganani | 11.0° | north | 5,241 km |
| Hlohlolwane | 14.6° | north | 5,750 km |
| Hoopstad | 16.7° | north | 5,677 km |
| Howick | 11.4° | north | 5,752 km |
| Humansdorp | 16.7° | north | 6,369 km |
| Itsoseng | 17.2° | north | 5,492 km |
| Jeffreys Bay | 16.5° | north | 6,366 km |
| Johannesburg | 14.6° | north | 5,446 km |
| Kamaqhekeza | 10.0° | north | 5,307 km |
| Khowa | 13.8° | north | 6,004 km |
| Kimberley | 17.8° | north | 5,806 km |
| Kinross | 13.3° | north | 5,444 km |
| Klerksdorp | 16.1° | north | 5,552 km |
| Knysna | 18.5° | north | 6,417 km |
| Kokstad | 12.2° | north | 5,885 km |
| Komatipoort | 10.0° | north | 5,279 km |
| Koppies | 14.9° | north | 5,569 km |
| Koster | 16.0° | north | 5,440 km |
| Kraaifontein | 23.1° | north-east | 6,540 km |
| Kriel | 13.1° | north | 5,422 km |
| Kroonstad | 15.2° | north | 5,622 km |
| Krugersdorp | 14.9° | north | 5,440 km |
| Kruisfontein | 16.8° | north | 6,367 km |
| Kuils River | 23.1° | north-east | 6,550 km |
| Kutloanong | 15.8° | north | 5,654 km |
| KwaDukuza | 10.2° | north | 5,717 km |
| Kwaggafontein | 13.7° | north | 5,329 km |
| Lady Frere | 14.4° | north | 6,058 km |
| Ladybrand | 14.7° | north | 5,782 km |
| Ladysmith | 12.1° | north | 5,661 km |
| Le Roux | 22.7° | north-east | 6,530 km |
| Lebohang | 13.5° | north | 5,444 km |
| Lebowakgomo | 13.2° | north | 5,207 km |
| Leeudoringstad | 16.5° | north | 5,605 km |
| Lephalale | 15.6° | north | 5,181 km |
| Leslie | 13.5° | north | 5,442 km |
| Letlhabile | 15.0° | north | 5,374 km |
| Lichtenburg | 16.8° | north | 5,491 km |
| Louis Trichardt | 13.0° | north | 5,060 km |
| Lukwatini | 11.3° | north | 5,368 km |
| Lydenburg | 11.9° | north | 5,271 km |
| Mabopane | 14.7° | north | 5,371 km |
| Mafemani | 11.2° | north | 5,225 km |
| Mahikeng | 17.5° | north | 5,476 km |
| Makhanda | 14.9° | north | 6,247 km |
| Makwassie | 16.8° | north | 5,620 km |
| Malamulele | 12.0° | north | 5,035 km |
| Malmesbury | 23.2° | north-east | 6,500 km |
| Mamafubedu | 14.2° | north | 5,601 km |
| Mandeni | 10.1° | north | 5,695 km |
| Mankweng | 13.1° | north | 5,155 km |
| Marapong | 15.7° | north | 5,183 km |
| Margate | 11.0° | north | 5,901 km |
| Marikana | 15.4° | north | 5,406 km |
| Marquard | 14.8° | north | 5,726 km |
| Matsulu | 10.7° | north | 5,300 km |
| Mbombela | 11.2° | north | 5,302 km |
| Mdantsane | 13.6° | north | 6,178 km |
| Middelburg | 13.0° | north | 5,366 km |
| Middelburg | 16.9° | north | 6,092 km |
| Midrand | 14.6° | north | 5,420 km |
| Midstream | 14.5° | north | 5,411 km |
| Mkhuhlu | 10.9° | north | 5,243 km |
| Modimolle | 14.5° | north | 5,275 km |
| Mokopane | 13.9° | north | 5,206 km |
| Moloto South | 14.0° | north | 5,351 km |
| Mondlo | 11.1° | north | 5,580 km |
| Montagu | 21.6° | north | 6,484 km |
| Mooi River | 11.7° | north | 5,728 km |
| Mookgophong | 14.2° | north | 5,247 km |
| Moorreesburg | 23.3° | north-east | 6,471 km |
| Mossel Bay | 19.5° | north | 6,460 km |
| Motherwell | 15.9° | north | 6,322 km |
| Mpophomeni | 11.4° | north | 5,763 km |
| Mpumalanga | 10.9° | north | 5,781 km |
| Mthatha | 12.7° | north | 6,011 km |
| Mtubatuba | 9.2° | north | 5,602 km |
| Muizenberg | 23.3° | north-east | 6,574 km |
| Musina | 13.0° | north | 4,981 km |
| Ncotshane | 10.1° | north | 5,494 km |
| Ndevana | 13.9° | north | 6,181 km |
| Newcastle | 12.0° | north | 5,571 km |
| Nhlazatje | 11.3° | north | 5,367 km |
| Nigel | 14.0° | north | 5,460 km |
| Nkowakowa | 12.3° | north | 5,143 km |
| Northam | 15.8° | north | 5,333 km |
| Ntuzuma | 10.5° | north | 5,768 km |
| Odendaalsrus | 15.8° | north | 5,660 km |
| Orkney | 16.0° | north | 5,565 km |
| Ottosdal | 16.9° | north | 5,566 km |
| Oudtshoorn | 19.5° | north | 6,397 km |
| Paarl | 22.8° | north-east | 6,519 km |
| Pampierstad | 18.1° | north | 5,708 km |
| Parys | 15.1° | north | 5,536 km |
| Phalaborwa | 11.2° | north | 5,131 km |
| Phomolong | 15.3° | north | 5,665 km |
| Phuthaditjhaba | 13.2° | north | 5,678 km |
| Piet Retief | 11.1° | north | 5,472 km |
| Pietermaritzburg | 11.2° | north | 5,764 km |
| Pinetown | 10.6° | north | 5,778 km |
| Plettenberg Bay | 18.2° | north | 6,410 km |
| Polokwane | 13.4° | north | 5,163 km |
| Port Alfred | 14.5° | north | 6,269 km |
| Port Elizabeth | 15.8° | north | 6,340 km |
| Port Shepstone | 11.0° | north | 5,886 km |
| Postmasburg | 19.8° | north | 5,818 km |
| Potchefstroom | 15.6° | north | 5,526 km |
| Praktiseer | 12.2° | north | 5,218 km |
| Pretoria | 14.5° | north | 5,393 km |
| Qonce | 14.1° | north | 6,181 km |
| Queensdale | 14.7° | north | 6,082 km |
| Queenstown | 14.8° | north | 6,087 km |
| Randburg | 14.7° | north | 5,435 km |
| Randfontein | 15.0° | north | 5,453 km |
| Redhill | 11.2° | north | 5,390 km |
| Reitz | 13.8° | north | 5,609 km |
| Retreat | 23.3° | north-east | 6,570 km |
| Richards Bay | 9.4° | north | 5,645 km |
| Richmond | 11.3° | north | 5,795 km |
| Riversdale | 20.4° | north | 6,478 km |
| Robertson | 21.9° | north | 6,494 km |
| Rondebosch | 23.3° | north-east | 6,560 km |
| Roodepoort | 14.8° | north | 5,446 km |
| Rustenburg | 15.7° | north | 5,409 km |
| Sabie | 11.5° | north | 5,265 km |
| Saldanha | 24.1° | north-east | 6,483 km |
| Sasolburg | 14.7° | north | 5,517 km |
| Schoemansdal | 10.5° | north | 5,317 km |
| Schweizer-Reneke | 17.6° | north | 5,626 km |
| Scottburgh | 10.7° | north | 5,831 km |
| Secunda | 13.2° | north | 5,457 km |
| Senekal | 14.6° | north | 5,684 km |
| Shakaskraal | 10.3° | north | 5,731 km |
| Siyabuswa | 13.6° | north | 5,304 km |
| Somaroboro | 13.8° | north | 5,334 km |
| Somerset East | 16.1° | north | 6,208 km |
| Somerset West | 22.9° | north-east | 6,560 km |
| Soshanguve | 14.7° | north | 5,366 km |
| Soweto | 14.8° | north | 5,458 km |
| Standerton | 13.0° | north | 5,496 km |
| Stellenbosch | 22.9° | north-east | 6,543 km |
| Stilfontein | 16.0° | north | 5,548 km |
| Stutterheim | 14.1° | north | 6,147 km |
| Swellendam | 21.3° | north | 6,498 km |
| Tekwane | 11.0° | north | 5,299 km |
| Thaba Nchu | 15.4° | north | 5,799 km |
| Thabazimbi | 15.7° | north | 5,290 km |
| Thembisa | 14.4° | north | 5,419 km |
| Theunissen | 15.7° | north | 5,718 km |
| Thohoyandou | 12.3° | north | 5,036 km |
| Thubelihle | 13.1° | north | 5,417 km |
| Thulamahashi | 11.0° | north | 5,215 km |
| Tlokoeng | 13.2° | north | 5,920 km |
| Tokoza | 14.5° | north | 5,461 km |
| Tongaat | 10.4° | north | 5,747 km |
| Trichardt | 13.1° | north | 5,449 km |
| Tshiame | 13.0° | north | 5,653 km |
| Tshitereke | 12.3° | north | 5,029 km |
| Tzaneen | 12.5° | north | 5,140 km |
| Ugie | 13.4° | north | 5,980 km |
| Uitenhage | 16.1° | north | 6,323 km |
| Ulundi | 10.2° | north | 5,606 km |
| Upington | 21.8° | north | 5,893 km |
| Vaalbank | 13.8° | north | 5,313 km |
| Vaalwater | 14.9° | north | 5,239 km |
| Vanderbijlpark | 14.7° | north | 5,506 km |
| Ventersdorp | 16.0° | north | 5,490 km |
| Vereeniging | 14.6° | north | 5,499 km |
| Verena | 13.6° | north | 5,344 km |
| Viljoenskroon | 15.7° | north | 5,582 km |
| Villiers | 13.8° | north | 5,522 km |
| Virginia | 15.6° | north | 5,680 km |
| Volksrust | 12.2° | north | 5,529 km |
| Vrede | 13.0° | north | 5,551 km |
| Vredefort | 15.2° | north | 5,550 km |
| Vredenburg | 24.0° | north-east | 6,471 km |
| Vredendal | 23.8° | north-east | 6,325 km |
| Vryburg | 18.3° | north | 5,620 km |
| Vryheid | 11.0° | north | 5,555 km |
| Warrenton | 17.9° | north | 5,738 km |
| Welkom | 15.7° | north | 5,670 km |
| Wellington | 22.8° | north-east | 6,508 km |
| Wembesi | 12.0° | north | 5,715 km |
| Wesselsbron | 16.2° | north | 5,667 km |
| Westonaria | 15.0° | north | 5,468 km |
| White River | 11.2° | north | 5,285 km |
| Whittlesea | 14.8° | north | 6,118 km |
| Winburg | 15.3° | north | 5,721 km |
| Winnie Mandela | 15.9° | north | 5,755 km |
| Wolmaransstad | 16.8° | north | 5,608 km |
| Worcester | 22.4° | north | 6,493 km |
| Zastron | 14.9° | north | 5,911 km |
| Zeerust | 17.1° | north | 5,428 km |