Until his transfer to Johannesburg, Stephen Brislin held the position of Archbishop of Cape Town, with Sylvester David serving as the auxiliary bishop to assist him in his pastoral responsibilities.

On 18 August 1986, it lost territory to establish the Mission sui juris of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha off its Atlantic Coast.

The archdiocese covers a total area of 30 892 square kilometers and is home to a population of 3 324 539 people, with 215 187 adhering to the Catholic faith.

Geographically, the archdiocese is centered around the city of Cape Town and encompasses the southernmost tip of the African continent.

The civil districts within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the archdiocese include Cape, Wynberg, Simon's Town, Bellville, Somerset West, Stellenbosch, Paarl, Wellington, Caledon, Bredasdorp, Malmesbury, Piketberg, and Clanwilliam.