Free tools · NASA Black Marble, night light

Night light from space

The light NASA’s Black Marble sees at about 1:30 in the morning, for every ward, municipality, district and province, month by month since January 2012 and every year. Newest year: 2025.

What it coversCovers all 4,485 wards in all 213 municipalities: the whole country.Green: places with records. Worked out from release 2026-11-13. Boundaries: Municipal Demarcation Board, 2026 boundaries. The dataset

Night light is the light a satellite sees from space at about 1:30 in the morning: street lights, buildings, mines, factories, harbours and fires. NASA takes out moonlight, haze and stray light, leaves out cloudy nights and sets faint glow to zero. Brightness is the light given off, in nanowatts per square centimetre per steradian (nW/cm²/sr), averaged over the place; “lit” is the share of the land giving off 1 or more, twice the faint glow NASA treats as noise.

What it is not: it cannot tell the grid from solar or a generator, who pays for the light, how many people live there or how well off they are. A load-shedding month mixes dark nights with lit ones, fires and flares can light a month up, and a cloudy month rests on fewer nights.

The country, month by month

South Africa’s average brightness each month since January 2012 (nW/cm²/sr). Shaded: 2022 and 2023, the years of the heaviest load-shedding. A gap is a month seen too little.

At 1:30 in the morning a place in a load-shedding slot is dark and one outside it is not, so a month’s figure mixes the two. How the dip in 2022 and 2023 was checked is in the docs.

Every municipality, 2025

By average brightness in NASA’s yearly product: the light given off over the whole municipality, divided by its area, so a big, mostly dark municipality reads low even with a bright town in it. Lit is the share of its land giving off 1 or more.

#	Municipality	Province	Brightness (nW/cm²/sr)	Lit	Against 2024
1	City of Johannesburg	Gauteng	22.1	98%	9.1% brighter
2	Ekurhuleni	Gauteng	16.4	100%	12% brighter
3	City of Cape Town	Western Cape	13.5	65%	11% brighter
4	eThekwini	KwaZulu-Natal	10.7	86%	10% brighter
5	The Msunduzi	KwaZulu-Natal	6.1	75%	6.6% brighter
6	Emfuleni	Gauteng	5.9	56%	1.7% brighter
7	City of Tshwane	Gauteng	4.9	51%	6.7% brighter
8	Nelson Mandela Bay	Eastern Cape	4.5	41%	3.5% brighter
9	uMhlathuze	KwaZulu-Natal	3.5	57%	6.6% brighter
10	Mogale City	Gauteng	3.5	44%	9.1% brighter
11	Stellenbosch	Western Cape	3.0	56%	14% brighter
12	Rustenburg	North West	2.9	39%	5.9% brighter
13	Rand West City	Gauteng	2.8	48%	5.8% brighter
14	KwaDukuza	KwaZulu-Natal	2.6	40%	12% brighter
15	Govan Mbeki	Mpumalanga	2.4	20%	about the same
16	Emalahleni	Mpumalanga	2.4	40%	0.8% darker
17	Midvaal	Gauteng	2.1	43%	5.6% brighter
18	Local Municipality of Madibeng	North West	2.1	41%	6.2% brighter
19	Drakenstein	Western Cape	2.0	26%	12% brighter
20	Mandeni	KwaZulu-Natal	2.0	56%	13% brighter
21	Buffalo City	Eastern Cape	1.7	21%	8.2% brighter
22	Victor Khanye	Mpumalanga	1.7	36%	4.3% brighter
23	Polokwane	Limpopo	1.5	25%	5.0% brighter
24	Ray Nkonyeni	KwaZulu-Natal	1.4	32%	7.5% brighter
25	Greater Tzaneen	Limpopo	1.4	29%	4.4% brighter
26	Newcastle	KwaZulu-Natal	1.3	18%	7.2% darker
27	Thulamela	Limpopo	1.3	27%	10% brighter
28	City of Mbombela	Mpumalanga	1.2	18%	2.5% brighter
29	Lesedi	Gauteng	1.2	28%	7.2% brighter
30	Fetakgomo Tubatse	Limpopo	1.2	25%	2.6% brighter
31	Dr JS Moroka	Mpumalanga	1.1	27%	4.6% brighter
32	Mkhambathini	KwaZulu-Natal	1.1	28%	22% brighter
33	Merafong City	Gauteng	1.1	20%	3.8% brighter
34	Mfolozi	KwaZulu-Natal	1.1	29%	4.9% brighter
35	Moretele	North West	1.1	24%	9.1% brighter
36	Greater Letaba	Limpopo	1.0	23%	2.0% brighter
37	Steve Tshwete	Mpumalanga	0.96	14%	5.0% darker
38	Port St Johns	Eastern Cape	0.88	27%	1.1% brighter
39	City of Matlosana	North West	0.88	12%	11% brighter
40	Nkomazi	Mpumalanga	0.87	16%	7.4% brighter
41	Saldanha Bay	Western Cape	0.86	11%	8.9% brighter
42	Thembisile Hani	Mpumalanga	0.84	15%	3.7% brighter
43	Makhuduthamaga	Limpopo	0.82	21%	9.3% brighter
44	Ndwedwe	KwaZulu-Natal	0.79	23%	13% brighter
45	Mangaung	Free State	0.76	7.3%	1.3% brighter
46	Mafikeng	North West	0.72	11%	1.4% darker
47	Umdoni	KwaZulu-Natal	0.71	17%	7.6% brighter
48	Sol Plaatje	Northern Cape	0.63	5.8%	1.6% brighter
49	Mossel Bay	Western Cape	0.63	7.3%	8.6% brighter
50	Inkosi Mtubatuba	KwaZulu-Natal	0.62	16%	13% brighter
51	King Sabata Dalindyebo	Eastern Cape	0.58	8.8%	4.9% darker
52	uMlalazi	KwaZulu-Natal	0.58	16%	3.6% brighter
53	Greater Giyani	Limpopo	0.57	13%	14% brighter
54	Lepele-Nkumpi	Limpopo	0.57	14%	12% brighter
55	Phokwane	Northern Cape	0.56	11%	3.7% brighter
56	Gamagara	Northern Cape	0.56	7.2%	about the same
57	Metsimaholo	Free State	0.52	6.7%	2.0% brighter
58	Ephraim Mogale	Limpopo	0.52	11%	1.9% darker
59	Alfred Duma	KwaZulu-Natal	0.50	10%	2.0% brighter
60	Collins Chabane	Limpopo	0.50	13%	6.4% brighter
61	Breede Valley	Western Cape	0.50	6.8%	6.4% brighter
62	Matjhabeng	Free State	0.49	6.8%	3.9% darker
63	uMngeni	KwaZulu-Natal	0.48	11%	about the same
64	Moses Kotane	North West	0.48	9.1%	12% brighter
65	Umzumbe	KwaZulu-Natal	0.47	10%	6.8% brighter
66	Mogalakwena	Limpopo	0.45	8.2%	4.7% brighter
67	Elias Motsoaledi	Limpopo	0.45	11%	about the same
68	Overstrand	Western Cape	0.44	6.0%	10.0% brighter
69	Maphumulo	KwaZulu-Natal	0.43	11%	16% brighter
70	Ingquza Hill	Eastern Cape	0.42	10%	5.0% brighter
71	Bushbuckridge	Mpumalanga	0.42	9.6%	2.4% brighter
72	Knysna	Western Cape	0.40	6.4%	8.1% brighter
73	uMshwathi	KwaZulu-Natal	0.39	11%	7.1% darker
74	Makhado	Limpopo	0.38	8.3%	8.6% brighter
75	Winnie Madikizela-Mandela	Eastern Cape	0.35	8.8%	6.1% brighter
76	Nyandeni	Eastern Cape	0.34	7.8%	3.0% brighter
77	Kouga	Eastern Cape	0.33	4.9%	14% brighter
78	Bitou	Western Cape	0.33	5.7%	14% brighter
79	Swartland	Western Cape	0.32	5.4%	3.2% brighter
80	Ba-Phalaborwa	Limpopo	0.30	4.6%	3.4% brighter
81	Theewaterskloof	Western Cape	0.30	5.0%	7.1% brighter
82	George	Western Cape	0.30	3.3%	15% brighter
83	Nongoma	KwaZulu-Natal	0.29	6.6%	3.3% darker
84	uMuziwabantu	KwaZulu-Natal	0.27	6.7%	3.8% brighter
85	Dannhauser	KwaZulu-Natal	0.27	8.8%	13% darker
86	Richmond	KwaZulu-Natal	0.26	5.3%	about the same
87	Maruleng	Limpopo	0.26	6.5%	8.3% brighter
88	JB Marks	North West	0.25	4.1%	4.2% brighter
89	Maluti a Phofung	Free State	0.24	5.1%	4.3% brighter
90	Jozini	KwaZulu-Natal	0.24	5.9%	9.1% brighter
91	Lekwa	Mpumalanga	0.24	3.9%	7.7% darker
92	Umzimvubu	Eastern Cape	0.23	5.2%	15% brighter
93	Endumeni	KwaZulu-Natal	0.23	4.4%	about the same
94	Molemole	Limpopo	0.23	5.0%	4.5% brighter
95	Inkosi Langalibalele	KwaZulu-Natal	0.22	4.5%	about the same
96	Mnquma	Eastern Cape	0.21	3.7%	5.0% brighter
97	uPhongolo	KwaZulu-Natal	0.21	5.4%	about the same
98	Umhlabuyalingana	KwaZulu-Natal	0.21	5.2%	17% brighter
99	Ntabankulu	Eastern Cape	0.20	4.7%	18% brighter
100	Johannes Phumani Phungula	KwaZulu-Natal	0.20	5.3%	about the same
101	Msinga	KwaZulu-Natal	0.19	4.1%	about the same
102	Ulundi	KwaZulu-Natal	0.19	4.3%	about the same
103	Chief Albert Luthuli	Mpumalanga	0.19	4.4%	about the same
104	Greater Taung	North West	0.19	4.7%	9.5% darker
105	Oudtshoorn	Western Cape	0.19	2.1%	19% brighter
106	Ga-Segonyana	Northern Cape	0.18	3.5%	about the same
107	Langeberg	Western Cape	0.18	2.7%	5.9% brighter
108	Dihlabeng	Free State	0.17	2.4%	6.3% brighter
109	Dipaleseng	Mpumalanga	0.17	3.0%	5.6% darker
110	Ngwathe	Free State	0.16	2.5%	about the same
111	Abaqulusi	KwaZulu-Natal	0.16	2.8%	6.7% brighter
112	Kumkani Mhlontlo	Eastern Cape	0.15	3.4%	about the same
113	Moqhaka	Free State	0.15	2.2%	6.3% darker
114	Umvoti	KwaZulu-Natal	0.15	2.7%	7.1% brighter
115	Umzimkhulu	KwaZulu-Natal	0.15	2.8%	15% brighter
116	Msukaligwa	Mpumalanga	0.15	2.6%	12% darker
117	Mkhondo	Mpumalanga	0.15	2.7%	7.1% brighter
118	Kgatelopele	Northern Cape	0.15	1.9%	about the same
119	Ndlambe	Eastern Cape	0.14	2.8%	7.7% brighter
120	Thaba Chweu	Mpumalanga	0.14	2.2%	about the same
121	Matatiele	Eastern Cape	0.13	2.4%	8.3% brighter
122	Greater Kokstad	KwaZulu-Natal	0.13	1.5%	8.3% brighter
123	Bela-Bela	Limpopo	0.13	2.3%	about the same
124	Ditsobotla	North West	0.13	2.6%	about the same
125	Nqutu	KwaZulu-Natal	0.12	2.7%	20% darker
126	Thabazimbi	Limpopo	0.12	1.9%	20% brighter
127	Lephalale	Limpopo	0.12	2.1%	about the same
128	Emakhazeni	Mpumalanga	0.12	2.4%	about the same
129	Nala	Free State	0.11	1.6%	8.3% darker
130	Nkandla	KwaZulu-Natal	0.11	2.2%	about the same
131	Bergrivier	Western Cape	0.11	1.7%	10.0% brighter
132	Dr AB Xuma	Eastern Cape	0.10	1.9%	about the same
133	Big Five Hlabisa	KwaZulu-Natal	0.10	2.5%	9.1% darker
134	Mthonjaneni	KwaZulu-Natal	0.10	1.7%	17% darker
135	Musina	Limpopo	0.10	1.4%	11% brighter
136	Ratlou	North West	0.10	3.2%	17% darker
137	Sundays River Valley	Eastern Cape	0.09	2.2%	13% brighter
138	Mbhashe	Eastern Cape	0.09	1.6%	13% brighter
139	Setsoto	Free State	0.09	1.4%	about the same
140	Ramotshere Moiloa	North West	0.09	2.4%	about the same
141	Lekwa-Teemane	North West	0.09	1.4%	about the same
142	Witzenberg	Western Cape	0.09	1.3%	13% brighter
143	Cape Agulhas	Western Cape	0.09	1.3%	13% brighter
144	Okhahlamba	KwaZulu-Natal	0.08	2.2%	11% darker
145	eDumbe	KwaZulu-Natal	0.08	1.9%	about the same
146	Kgetlengrivier	North West	0.08	1.6%	11% darker
147	Swellendam	Western Cape	0.08	1.1%	14% brighter
148	Elundini	Eastern Cape	0.07	1.1%	17% brighter
149	Mafube	Free State	0.07	1.3%	about the same
150	Mpofana	KwaZulu-Natal	0.07	1.0%	about the same
151	Impendle	KwaZulu-Natal	0.07	1.9%	17% brighter
152	Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma	KwaZulu-Natal	0.07	1.7%	about the same
153	Blouberg	Limpopo	0.07	1.8%	17% brighter
154	Dr Pixley Ka Isaka Seme	Mpumalanga	0.07	1.5%	12% darker
155	Maquassi Hills	North West	0.07	1.3%	12% darker
156	Makana	Eastern Cape	0.06	1.0%	about the same
157	Raymond Mhlaba	Eastern Cape	0.06	1.1%	14% darker
158	Intsika Yethu	Eastern Cape	0.06	0.8%	about the same
159	Nketoana	Free State	0.06	0.9%	20% brighter
160	Modimolle-Mookgophong	Limpopo	0.06	1.0%	about the same
161	Tsantsabane	Northern Cape	0.06	0.7%	about the same
162	Magareng	Northern Cape	0.06	1.3%	50% brighter
163	Naledi	North West	0.06	0.9%	14% darker
164	Mamusa	North West	0.06	1.2%	14% darker
165	Kou-Kamma	Eastern Cape	0.05	1.1%	67% brighter
166	Ngqushwa	Eastern Cape	0.05	1.2%	25% brighter
167	Sakhisizwe	Eastern Cape	0.05	1.0%	about the same
168	Enoch Mgijima	Eastern Cape	0.05	1.0%	25% brighter
169	Masilonyana	Free State	0.05	0.9%	about the same
170	Tswelopele	Free State	0.05	0.6%	about the same
171	Mantsopa	Free State	0.05	1.0%	about the same
172	Emadlangeni	KwaZulu-Natal	0.05	1.0%	17% darker
173	Tswaing	North West	0.05	1.3%	17% darker
174	Hessequa	Western Cape	0.05	1.0%	about the same
175	Amahlathi	Eastern Cape	0.04	0.9%	33% brighter
176	Joe Morolong	Northern Cape	0.04	0.7%	about the same
177	Matzikama	Western Cape	0.04	0.8%	about the same
178	Great Kei	Eastern Cape	0.03	0.8%	about the same
179	Inxuba Yethemba	Eastern Cape	0.03	0.4%	about the same
180	Emalahleni	Eastern Cape	0.03	0.8%	about the same
181	Senqu	Eastern Cape	0.03	0.7%	about the same
182	Khâi-Ma	Northern Cape	0.03	0.4%	about the same
183	Emthanjeni	Northern Cape	0.03	0.3%	50% brighter
184	Dawid Kruiper	Northern Cape	0.03	0.3%	about the same
185	Dikgatlong	Northern Cape	0.03	0.5%	about the same
186	Cederberg	Western Cape	0.03	0.6%	about the same
187	Blue Crane Route	Eastern Cape	0.02	0.3%	100% brighter
188	Walter Sisulu	Eastern Cape	0.02	0.3%	about the same
189	Letsemeng	Free State	0.02	0.4%	about the same
190	Kopanong	Free State	0.02	0.4%	100% brighter
191	Tokologo	Free State	0.02	0.4%	about the same
192	Phumelela	Free State	0.02	0.5%	33% darker
193	Richtersveld	Northern Cape	0.02	0.3%	about the same
194	Nama Khoi	Northern Cape	0.02	0.4%	about the same
195	Umsobomvu	Northern Cape	0.02	0.4%	about the same
196	Siyathemba	Northern Cape	0.02	0.2%	100% brighter
197	Kai !Garib	Northern Cape	0.02	0.4%	about the same
198	Kannaland	Western Cape	0.02	0.4%	about the same
199	Beaufort West	Western Cape	0.02	0.2%	about the same
200	Dr Beyers Naude	Eastern Cape	0.01	0.2%	about the same
201	Mohokare	Free State	0.01	0.3%	about the same
202	Hantam	Northern Cape	0.01	0.1%	about the same
203	Thembelihle	Northern Cape	0.01	0.1%	about the same
204	Siyancuma	Northern Cape	0.01	0.3%	about the same
205	!Kheis	Northern Cape	0.01	0.2%	about the same
206	Kagisano/Molopo	North West	0.01	0.3%	about the same
207	Laingsburg	Western Cape	0.01	0.1%	about the same
208	Prince Albert	Western Cape	0.01	0.1%	about the same
209	Kamiesberg	Northern Cape	0.00	0%	about the same
210	Karoo Hoogland	Northern Cape	0.00	0%	about the same
211	Ubuntu	Northern Cape	0.00	0.1%	100% darker
212	Kareeberg	Northern Cape	0.00	0.1%	about the same
213	Renosterberg	Northern Cape	0.00	0.1%	about the same

The metros

Each metro’s page has every year and month since 2012 and its wards by number.

By province

How it was checked

NASA makes the yearly figure separately from the monthly ones, so the two were set against each other place by place: for municipalities the yearly figure and the mean of the year’s twelve months are a median 1.8% apart (360 of 374 municipality-years within 10%), for wards a median 1.0% (34,024 of 34,088 within 20%). The country’s light in each month of 2022 and 2023, the years of the heaviest load-shedding, was set against the same month in 2024 and 2025, after load-shedding largely stopped: 23 of the 24 months were darker. Against 2019 and 2021 only 6 were: the country’s light was rising through the decade, so the satellite shows the end of load-shedding more clearly than its start. In 2025 the 6 metros among the eight municipalities giving off the most light were City of Johannesburg, City of Cape Town, Ekurhuleni, City of Tshwane, eThekwini, Nelson Mandela Bay. Every ward adds up to its province. The workings are in the docs.

Source

NASA Black Marble night lights, VNP46A3 (monthly) and VNP46A4 (yearly), collection 2, from NASA’s LAADS DAAC (doi:10.5067/VIIRS/VNP46A3.002 and doi:10.5067/VIIRS/VNP46A4.002). The product’s page.

What we changed: we added up NASA’s light over each 2026 ward (each pixel, about 460 m across, split in four and given to the ward holding each quarter) and added the wards up to municipalities, districts and provinces.

The satellite (Suomi NPP) passes at about 1:30 in the morning. NASA’s monthly figure is the mean of the month’s clear nights; a pixel with no clear night is filled from earlier months, and that share is shown. The yearly figure is NASA’s own mean of the year’s clear nights, so it is close to, not exactly, the mean of the twelve months.

Dataset: night light by ward, release 2026-11-13.