Latest news with #InclusionaryZoningPolicy
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. .
Daily Maverick
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
What inclusionary zoning in Stellenbosch means for post-apartheid cities
Stellenbosch municipal manager Geraldine Mettler says she wanted to go public with the admittedly excellent Inclusionary Zoning Policy in 2023, but with highly contestable local elections on the cards in 2026, it's easy to see why the Cape leadership held it for 2025. Anton Bredell, Western Cape MEC for local government, environmental affairs and development planning, wants South Africa to radically rethink what it means to live a 'dignified life.' Specifically, he believes the constitutional standard for basic services (currently 50kWh of free electricity and six kilolitres of water per household per month) is too low. 'We need to double that basket,' Bredell said to the room overlooking a picturesque vista of the Stellenbosch Berg and the exclusive De Zalze golf estate – it's 10 years and one month since Henry van Breda handed himself in to the local police following the January 2015 axe murder of his family which got locals calling the estate 'van der byl park,' but I digress. The occasion on this day is the Stellenbosch Municipality's Inclusionary Zoning Policy workshop. Stellenbosch is only the second municipality in the land to adopt the founding ideas of reconstructing the social fabric and undoing apartheid spatial planning that was codified in the Mandela years (read: RDP). It may come as a surprise, but the Cape Winelands region actually gave the City of Johannesburg its flowers for being the first municipality to introduce inclusionary housing by adopting a policy and amending its planning by-law to guide decision makers, all the way back in 2019. Trading rights for positive choices How would Bredell's radical ideas be funded? 'I can tell you now, if we can get the 100,000 children that's on the street into schools, we get R2.5-billion. There's the money.' Of course, his scheme for releasing this assistance to households in need is based on an incentive: 'If I offer 100 units of electricity on proof that your child is in school, won't that help us? Must we not start to change?' He believes that this approach, getting children into schools, would lead to 'less unemployment, less inequality and less poverty in the future because we won't have to spend that money [on] safety because our children end up in gangs, etcetera…' Bredell's expanded dignity basket ideas were developed in partnership with Stellenbosch University and peg a realistic standard of dignity at 115kWh and 10.5kl of water per household monthly, far above the current minimum guaranteed by policy. What's the cost of dignity? But lofty ideals come with heavy costs. A quick analysis estimates that such a doubling of services would cost R28.7-billion annually – R17-billion for water and R11.7-billion for electricity. This comes at a time when South Africa's water and electricity infrastructure already face a combined funding shortfall of more than R1.6-trillion over the next decade. With 65% of the country's 257 municipalities in financial distress, Bredell's model may work in Stellenbosch – but it's unlikely to survive contact with the national balance sheet. The Stellenbosch Inclusionary Zoning Policy, formally adopted in June 2023, is part of the National Land Value Capture Programme and makes the municipality the first in the Western Cape to adopt such a strategy. At its core, inclusionary zoning is a land-use planning tool that requires or incentivises developers to include a certain proportion of affordable housing units in new developments. Jeremy Fasser, executive mayor of Stellenbosch, framed the policy not as a housing intervention alone, but as an attempt to remake the city's spatial geography. 'It's about bringing working families closer to opportunities,' he said. 'It's about redressing historical spaces of injustice.' The policy has already yielded more than 900 approved inclusionary housing units, which is a significant early success. But Stellenbosch's financial health is a critical part of the story. 'We're in a good financial position as a municipality,' Fasser tells Daily Maverick. 'We can afford to give 100kWh when the national standard is 50kWh because we have the revenue, the political stability and the planning capability.' Pioneers in disarray Minenhle Maphumulo, assistant director of metro planning at the City of Johannesburg, offered a frank assessment of why the country's first inclusionary zoning policy fell short. 'Johannesburg left affordability to the market,' she explained. 'We limited the size of units rather than setting price thresholds.' The result? Developments included units ranging from R700,000 for 20m² to R2-million for 140m², hardly affordable for the intended market. In contrast, Stellenbosch defined affordability more rigorously and anchored the policy in land value capture principles. 'Stellenbosch presents opportunities for us to leverage strategic use of land,' Maphumulo continued. 'It's the first policy presented as land value capital – unlike Johannesburg.' Still, she stressed that inclusionary housing wasn't meant to replace social housing. 'It's one tool in a broader set of responses. We need more responses, not fewer.' Wait, what's inclusionary zoning? Inclusionary zoning sounds technical, but it could change where you live, work and send your kids to school. Stellenbosch is testing a policy that forces private developers to include affordable housing in new builds. If it works, it could undo decades of apartheid spatial planning – not just in wine country, but nationwide. What this means for you If you're a nurse, a teacher or a security guard commuting two hours to work, inclusionary zoning could mean living closer to your job, your children's school, and public transport – without paying elite prices. If Stellenbosch's model proves financially sustainable and socially transformative, other cities may follow. That means more mixed-income neighbourhoods, less congestion, better school access – and more pressure on developers to prioritise people over profit. But here's the catch: only two municipalities (Joburg and Stellenbosch) have adopted inclusionary zoning in 30 years. If Stellenbosch fails, it may take another 30 before anyone tries again. Samantha Naidu, from the National Treasury's Cities Support Programme, declined to respond directly to Daily Maverick's questions, but did offer more general insights. 'Inclusionary zoning is not the silver bullet when it comes to spatial transformation,' Naidu said. 'It is one of the tools in the arsenal of instruments that a municipality has at its disposal.' But tools need hands to wield them, and political will to use them effectively. 'Leadership is required at both technical and political levels. We need consistency, governance, and accountability. And we need to start implementing, not just planning.' No handouts from national coffers Naidu cautioned municipalities against always turning to the Treasury for funding: 'There are tools you already control. We should not always be looking for solutions elsewhere, like more money from the national government.' While acknowledging the pioneering role of Stellenbosch, she reminded the audience that 'despite discussions for the last 30 years, only two municipalities have adopted inclusionary zoning policies. So something is wrong somewhere'. She praised Stellenbosch's use of the Adam Tas Corridor as a site for testing land value capture and deeper affordability mechanisms, but reiterated that without meaningful integration into broader housing, transport and economic policy frameworks, isolated experiments wouldn't change the systemic failures that continued to marginalise the urban poor. Good ideas and the best intentions For Bredell, the argument isn't just about water and power. He says it's about changing how society values its people, even offering a metaphor: 'If you're in a hospital, do you want a nurse who took four taxis to get to work and doesn't know if her children are safe, or one who walked from a nearby home after dropping her kids off at a good school?' It's a powerful image. But good metaphors don't fill dams or rebuild substations. He may be right that South Africa's problem isn't a lack of resources, but a crisis of leadership and coordination. But as long as policy ambitions outpace fiscal reality, the Constitution's promise of a dignified life, even at its current standard, remains just a promise. DM
