Pretoria, in the north of the country, is where most government leaders have their offices. It is often called the 'executive capital'. The city is famous for its purple jacaranda trees, which turn whole streets into a sea of purple flowers each spring.
Cape Town, on the southern coast, is where the country's law-makers meet to talk about new rules - so it is called the 'legislative capital'. Cape Town sits between Table Mountain and the sea and is one of the most photographed cities in the world.
Bloemfontein, roughly in the middle of the country, is where the country's biggest court is based, so it is called the 'judicial capital'. Its name means 'fountain of flowers' in Afrikaans, and the city is famous for its rose gardens.
Why three capitals? When South Africa first became one country in 1910, different important places each wanted to keep their special role. Sharing the job between three cities was the fair solution - and it has stayed that way ever since.

