Overview and Services Rendered

The Development and Town Planning Directorate is responsible for guiding, coordinating and regulating the spatial, physical and economic development of the municipality. Its mandate ensures orderly settlement planning, effective land governance, safe and compliant building practices, coordinated human settlement facilitation, sustainable use of municipal land, tourism development, and local economic empowerment. Through its integrated roles, the Directorate supports the creation of well-planned, resilient and economically vibrant communities.

The Directorate delivers its mandate through six functional divisions:

1. Spatial Planning and Land Use Management

Services Rendered:

• Preparation, review and implementation of the Spatial Development Framework (SDF).
• Development, enforcement and monitoring of the Land Use Scheme (LUS).
• Processing of land development applications including rezonings, subdivisions, consolidations, consent uses and township establishment.
• Providing spatial planning advice to Council, developers and communities.
• Monitoring compliance with zoning regulations and development conditions.
• GIS mapping, analysis and spatial information management.

2. Building Control and Development Compliance

Services Rendered:

• Assessment and approval of building plans.
• Conducting site inspections throughout construction stages.
• Issuing occupation certificates.
• Enforcement against illegal building, unsafe structures and non-compliance.
• Technical assessment of engineering drawings and compliance documentation.
• Providing guidance to homeowners, contractors and developers.

3. Town Planning Administration & Land Administration and Managemment

Town Planning Administration Services:

• Receiving, circulating and tracking planning and land use applications.
• Managing public notices, objections, appeals and stakeholder engagements.
• Secretariat support to the Municipal Planning Tribunal (MPT) and Appeal Authority.
• Maintaining planning registers, records and statutory documentation.
• Coordinating internal technical assessments and external specialist inputs.

Land Administration & Management Services:

• Managing municipal land rights, leases, servitudes and encroachments.
• Processing applications for leasing, selling or acquiring municipal land.
• Administration of Land Availability Agreements (LAAs) and development agreements.
• Ensuring compliance with MFMA Section 14.
• Maintaining an updated municipal land register.
• Supporting lawful occupation, regularisation and tenure processes.
• Advisory services on land legalities and land asset management.

4. Local Economic Development (LED)

Services Rendered:

• LED Strategy development and implementation.
• Facilitation of catalytic economic projects.
• SMME support and enterprise development.
• Partnerships with mining houses, businesses and government.
• Promotion of local procurement and community empowerment.
• Job creation initiatives and youth empowerment programmes.

5. Tourism Development & Commonage and Management

Tourism Development Services:

• Implementation of the Municipal Tourism Strategy.
• Marketing the municipality as a tourism destination.
• Support to tourism operators and development of tourism infrastructure.
• Coordination of tourism events and partnerships.

Commonage Land Management Services:

• Allocation and administration of commonage land for emerging farmers.
• Monitoring compliance with grazing limits.
• Supporting agricultural development and food security.
• Maintaining commonage registers.
• Coordination with Agriculture Department and partners.

6. Human Satelite Administration and Management

Services Rendered:

• Coordination between COGHSTA, developers and beneficiary communities.
• Beneficiary list verification and management support.
• Facilitating planning compliance, land availability and service requirements.
• Monitoring human settlement project progress.
• Supporting township establishment processes.
• Stakeholder engagement, communication and dispute resolution.

Summary:

The Directorate serves as a central driver of sustainable spatial development, regulatory governance, land management, economic growth, tourism promotion, agricultural support and coordinated human settlement facilitation.

Shaping Sustainable Communities by Transforming Space and Planning Today for a Better Tomorrow.