KNOW AND UNDERSTAND YOUR MUNICIPAL SCHEME
What is land use management, and why is it necessary?
Land use management is a responsibility given to all municipalities in terms of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996. In short, land use management is a system that ensures that the right things get built, in the right place, at the right time.
We need land use management to:
- Ensure that planning and development take place in an orderly and structured way;
- Make the economy grow and create employment opportunities;
- Create a safe, healthy, and sustainable built environment;
- Find the right balance between meeting communities’ needs and protecting our natural and built heritage environment; and
- Work wisely with our available land, which is becoming an increasingly scarce resource, and carefully plan and manage its development.
- Design and shape our spaces.
What do town planners do?
The Town Planning unit is responsible for managing and directing development in a sustainable way for the benefit of all residents and visitors to uBuhlebezwe Municipality.
The services offered by the unit include:
- Giving general development advice and information to property owners and developers;
- Processing planning applications and issuing various approvals and permissions;
- Providing comments on submitted building plans for municipal approval;
- Issuing zoning certificates for individual properties;
- Generally enforcing land use regulations and standards;
- Investigating and resolving complaints and contraventions regarding land uses;
- Providing access to local spatial plans and the Municipal Planning By-law.
The community of uBuhlebezwe Municipality/landowners and developers are highly encouraged to consult the town planning unit within the uBuhlebezwe Municipality should they wish to develop their land. This consultation should happen prior to any construction in order to not be in violation of the National Building Regulations.
CONTACT DETAILS
For any further questions about land use management issues, you may contact the uBuhlebezwe Municipalitys’ Infrastructure Planning and Development Director: Mr. S. B. Mkhwanazi, or Ms. T.L. Mthembu on 039 834 7700 or via email at sbmkhwanazi@ubuhlebezwe.gov.za and tlmthembu@ubuhlebezwe.gov.za