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IOL News
5 days ago
- Business
- IOL News
Stellenbosch's new inclusionary zoning policy: A blueprint for affordable housing in South Africa
To date 144 units have been built - all in the the Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate development - taking "a significant step" toward redressing spatial inequality. Image: Sebastian Machill (2025) A new and exclusive estate development in Stellenbosch has 144 affordable units built in as part of the municipality's inclusionary zoning policy. "Stellenbosch's policy isn't just a local breakthrough; it's a blueprint for the Western Cape and the country," said Helen Rourke, programme director at Development Action Group. "In a country where spatial and income divides still define daily life, this is how real spatial transformation takes shape." The policy requires private developers that are planning to build a new residential or mixed-use development of 20 units or more in Stellenbosch, Klapmuts or Franschhoek to include 20% inclusionary housing. In the catalytic area of the Adam Tas Corridor, a spatial overlay zone provides for developers to unlock development rights if they contribute 30% inclusionary housing. Stellenbosch Municipality is only the second municipality in South Africa to adopt an Inclusionary Zoning Policy and, since its inception June 2023, over 900 new inclusionary housing unit applications have been approved. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ There have been discussions about inclusionary housing policies for almost 20 years, since the early 2000s, and these discussions have often been shut down by resistance from property developers and owners, said Associate Professor Ivan Turok (University of Free State). "This makes Stellenbosch's policy development and initial implementation all the more significant - as this is only the second municipality in the country to adopt an inclusionary housing policy." Rourke explained that the overarching goal of inclusionary zoning is to ensure social inclusion and counteract the legacy of spatial segregation that continues to define South African cities. For many South Africans, home is still on the outskirts and far from major economic opportunities - designed that way during apartheid South Africa. 'Stellenbosch has stepped up where it matters most, showing that bold municipal leadership and political support for innovative land policy tools can help tackle South Africa's deep inequalities head-on," says Rourke. Construction of the Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate development in 2025 where 144 inclusionary housing units (11% of the entire development) were developed. Image: Sebastian Machill (2025) There are currently additional applications under review. Stellenbosch mayor, Jeremy Fasser, said through the policy, "we are attempting to rewrite the narrative on affordable and dignified housing". "We want to show that access to housing can be integrated and future-focused and that local government can lead the way in creating replicable models for other communities across South Africa. "This is about transforming policy into action and then action into impact. "Our Inclusionary Zoning Policy is already yielding results. Since its adoption in 2023, more than 900 new inclusionary housing units have been approved, with many more in the pipeline.' The policy at present stipulates that beneficiaries should be employed households with a stable income (excluding students), with preference for Stellenbosch residents, key workers, vulnerable groups, first-time homeowners, and female-headed households. Beneficiaries should have a monthly household income of between R3 500 – R22 000 (2022 FSC rates updated annually) and the sales cost of an affordable housing unit should fall between R300 000 – R1.2 million. Proportional allocation across the affordability range is encouraged and units must stay affordable for at least 30 years. Get your news on the go, click here to join the Cape Argus News WhatsApp channel. Cape Argus
IOL News
30-07-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Stellenbosch stops talking, starts delivering: affordable housing part of new developments
Construction of the Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate development in 2025. The Stellenbosch Municipal Planning Tribunal approved the land-use application for the Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate development on the condition that it include inclusionary housing. In terms of an agreement between the municipality and the developer, 144 inclusionary housing units (11% of the entire development) were developed. Image: Sebastian Machill (2025) Over 30 years into democracy, some municipalities are finally moving in the right direction. In a "significant step" toward redressing spatial inequality in South Africa, 140 affordable units have been built in a new estate exclusive development in Stellenbosch. This is part of Stellenbosch municiaplity's inclusionary zoning policy. And while 140 units may not seem like a lot in a country grappling with an affordable housing crisis, and where informal developments are outgrowing formal developments exponentially, the policy can serve as a blueprint for the rest of the country on how to transform spaces. "Stellenbosch's policy isn't just a local breakthrough; it's a blueprint for the Western Cape and the country," says Helen Rourke, programme director at Development Action Group. "In a country where spatial and income divides still define daily life, this is how real spatial transformation takes shape," she said. The policy requires private developers that are planning to build a new residential or mixed-use development of 20 units or more in Stellenbosch, Klapmuts or Franschhoek to include 20% inclusionary housing. In the catalytic area of the Adam Tas Corridor, a spatial overlay zone provides for developers to unlock development rights if they contribute 30% inclusionary housing. Stellenbosch municipality is only the second municipality in South Africa to adopt an Inclusionary Zoning Policy and, since its inception June 2023, over 900 new inclusionary housing unit applications have been approved. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading The requirements and the goal There have been discussions about inclusionary housing policies for almost 20 years, since the early 2000s, and these discussions have often been shut down by resistance from property developers and owners, said Associate Professor Ivan Turok (University of Free State). "This makes Stellenbosch's policy development and initial implementation all the more significant - as this is only the second municipality in the country to adopt an inclusionary housing policy." Rourke explained that the overarching goal of inclusionary zoning is to ensure social inclusion and counteract the legacy of spatial segregation that continues to define South African cities. Fo many South Africans, home is still on the outskirts and far from major economic opportinities - designed that way during apartheid South Africa. 'Stellenbosch has stepped up where it matters most, showing that bold municipal leadership and political support for innovative land policy tools can help tackle South Africa's deep inequalities head-on," says Rourke. Turok echoed the praise for Stellenbosch Municipality's political leadership. "The ability for political leaders to be honest about the challenges we face to address spatial inequality and be clear about a desire for change is a massive starting point," he said. Political leaders often back off at the first sign of resistance to inclusionary housing, he said, so "the willingness of Stellenbosch's political leadership not to cave into political repercussions and engage in the difficult negotiations and discussions with entrenched interests like property developers, property owners and the middle class is vitally important". Prof Turok added that the link between political will and technical expertise on inclusionary housing (as the case was in Stellenbosch) was vital to take inclusionary housing 'beyond a hypothetical idea into actual delivery'. Rourke and Turok were speaking at a high-level dialogue on the municipality's pioneering Inclusionary Zoning Policy, hosted by DAG in partnership with Stellenbosch Municipality and as part of the National Land Value Capture (LVC) Programme. As part of the event, DAG and Stellenbosch Municipality officially launched a new publication co-authored by Chantel Hauptfleisch, senior spatial planner at Stellenbosch Municipality, and Claudia Hitzeroth, technical eonsultant, entitled 'Stellenbosch's Inclusionary Zoning Policy: Lessons and Insights on Policy Development.' Triple Bind Many South African cities face a 'triple bind' of growing urbanisation pressures, budgetary constraints and increasingly exclusionary property markets, says Rourke. These conditions make the existing spatial segregation even worse, as it becomes financially more difficult for government to deliver affordable and adequate housing in high-value locations within the parameters of existing funding mechanisms. The majority of state-subsidised housing has therefore been constructed on the urban periphery, reinforcing inefficient urban structures and exacerbating socio-economic inequalities. So, while spatial transformation has been a central policy objective since democracy, the spatial form of South African cities remains largely unchanged since Apartheid. A good example The Stellenbosch Inclusionary Zoning Policy (2023) is a shining example of what can be achieved when all players come together to make a change, says Rourke. There are currently additional applications under review. Stellenbosch executive mayor Jeremy Fasser, says that through this policy, "we are attempting to rewrite the narrative on affordable and dignified housing". "We want to show that access to housing can be integrated and future-focused and that local government can lead the way in creating replicable models for other communities across South Africa. "This is about transforming policy into action and then action into impact. "Our Inclusionary Zoning Policy is already yielding results. Since its adoption in 2023, more than 900 new inclusionary housing units have been approved, with many more in the pipeline.' To date 144 units have been built - all in the the Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate development - taking "a significant step" toward redressing spatial inequality. Image: Sebastian Machill Diving deeper In the Stellenbosch areas inclusionary zoning requirements are triggered by a land development application for additional development rights, which means the requirement does not apply to existing rights. Within spatially targeted catalytic areas, such as the Adam Tas Corridor, the Inclusionary Zoning Policy requires private developers that are planning to build a residential or mixed-use development of 20 units or more to include 30% inclusionary housing. This is because within the Adam Tas Corridor the municipality is undertaking various catalytic activities that create significant value in land, such as offering extensive additional development rights and intensive infrastructure investment. An Adam Tas Corridor Overlay Zone allows developers to unlock these significant additional development rights without undergoing lengthy land-use development applications under the condition that 30% of their development constitutes inclusionary housing units. Who will benefit What constitutes an inclusionary housing unit, also referred to as an affordable housing unit, is carefully stipulated via various metrics that are adjusted frequently to be market sensitive, according to the publication. The policy at present stipulates that beneficiaries should be employed households with a stable income (excluding students), with preference for Stellenbosch residents, key workers, vulnerable groups, first-time homeowners, and female-headed households. Beneficiaries should have a monthly household income of between R3 500 – R22 000 (2022 FSC rates updated annually) and the sales cost of an affordable housing unit should fall between R300 000 – R1.2 million. Proportional allocation across the affordability range is encouraged and units must stay affordable for at least 30 years. .
IOL News
18-05-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Corruption, capacity and crumbling budgets
Despite more than 30 years of democracy, South Africa's housing crisis remains unresolved, with millions of people still waiting for access to adequate homes. Image: IOL Despite more than 30 years of democracy, South Africa's housing crisis remains unresolved, with millions of people still waiting for access to adequate homes. While the government has successfully provided housing for nearly 3 million households through the Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP), which was initiated in 1994 to address the socio-economic imbalances created by apartheid The housing backlog continues to grow. According to the National Housing Needs Register, more than 2.4 million households still require suitable housing. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Experts have warned that the number of households in need of housing may increase even further as more people move to urban areas in search of job opportunities and improved living conditions. The country's urbanisation rate is expected to rise to 71% by 2030. The Development Action Group (DAG), a non-profit organisation dedicated to creating inclusive and sustainable neighbourhoods, argues that government policies aimed at addressing the housing crisis have often been poorly implemented. "Despite numerous policies and programmes that specifically speak to low-cost housing (i.e. RDP and social housing, etc.) and vulnerable groups (EHP, Special Needs Housing Policy, etc.), the policies and programmes have not always been implemented in the most efficient way. "Some of the gaps include insufficient funding and mismanagement of available resources, inadequate capacity to deliver, poor intergovernmental cooperation, inadequate land management and poor coordination between departments on land decisions, lack of policy certainty." Despite this, the government remains committed to addressing the housing crisis. Human Settlements spokesperson Tsekiso Machike has emphasised that housing remains a priority, with clear targets set in the 2024-2029 Medium Term Development Plan (MTDP): Deliver 237,000 BNG/RDP units. Provide 314,000 serviced sites. Register 80,000 title deeds. Upgrade 4,075 informal settlements. Build 15,000 social housing units (rental stock). Distribute 140,000 subsidies to assist the ' missing middle ' in purchasing or building homes. However, while the government has set clear and ambitious targets for housing, implementation at the municipal level has often been an issue, with reports of corruption and mismanagement hindering progress. Machike explained that the government has a zero-tolerance stance on corruption, emphasising that this commitment is reflected in actions such as dismissing officials, pursuing convictions. "The government's commitment is reflected in measures such as dismissing officials, pursuing convictions, and establishing initiatives like the Fusion Centre to combat corruption,". "The government has adopted a zero-tolerance approach to corruption and has developed a National Anti-Corruption Strategy to guide anti-corruption efforts across various sectors,". Last month, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Human Settlements Siboniso Duma said that many housing projects were delayed because contractors went bankrupt, and some faced supply chain issues and irregularities. According to Jens Horber, a researcher at Ndifuna Ukwazi, one of the biggest challenges facing municipalities was decreasing budget allocations and slow administrative and development processes and insufficient state capacity and skills. "Due to decreasing budget allocations, slow administrative and development processes and insufficient state capacity and skills, there has been a steady decrease in housing and serviced site delivery over the past 15 years". "The slow pace of delivery and the lack of support for backyard housing and other genuinely affordable housing options means that housing demand massively exceeds supply, resulting in the continued growth of informal settlements", he said. To address the housing crisis, the Development Action Group (DAG) stresses that the strategic release of well-located land for affordable housing must be prioritised "The strategic release of well-located land for affordable housing must be prioritised, we must proactively plan for informal settlements, we have to be very pragmatic in our approach to site-and-services and establish the mechanisms necessary to ensure its successful implementation. "We must dedicate significant resources towards infrastructure development and maintenance, and most importantly, we have to create spaces for consistent community engagement where beneficiaries of housing assistance have actual decision-making ability, therefore playing a direct role in their own development". IOL News
