Drakenstein Municipality is centrally located within the Cape Winelands District, Western Cape Province. The Municipality is strategically located on the major transport routes (National Road N1 and railway) in the Western Cape Province. The Drakenstein Municipality is bordered by the Swartland Local Municipality towards the north-west and the Witzenberg Municipality borders Drakenstein towards the north-east. The Bergrivier Municipality forms the northern border. Towards the east, Drakenstein is bordered by the Breede Valley Municipality, to the south by Stellenbosch Municipality and towards the south-west by the City of Cape Town Municipality.

The Drakenstein Municipality is considered to be the most urban of the municipal areas in the Cape Winelands District, this can be attributed to its close proximity to the City of Cape Town.

According to the 2014 Western Cape Provincial Spatial Development Framework (PSDF), Drakenstein Municipality forms part of the Cape Functional Region wherein leading towns such as Paarl are targeted for strategic infrastructure interventions such as public transport and upgrading due to its strategic locality. The 2014 PSDF identified Paarl as a regional centre and Wellington as a service centre.

Drakenstein Local Municipality’s long-term vision in the IDP is to become “A City of Excellence”.

The long-term Strategic Plan (Vision 2032) is the strategy for Drakenstein Municipality to realise the vision of being a “City of Excellence” within the next fifteen years. Key facets of Vision 2032 are economic dynamism, quality of life for all, a strong, well-governed brand and financial sustainability.