Is it working?

Mixed results are emerging. Municipalities like Cape Town have successfully implemented more streamlined procedures, with the city releasing land for over 4,200 affordable housing units in the past two years. Cape Town's approach of providing "shovel-ready" land with infrastructure and development rights in place has reduced risks for developers. However, systemic challenges remain and efforts to streamline land release processes will struggle unless national, provincial and municipal bodies coordinate more effectively. Currently, siloed operations and inconsistent land audits across spheres of government result in delays, duplicated work and confusion around land ownership and readiness for disposal.

Actions

Several concrete actions have been implemented. The DPWI has established new leadership under Minister Macpherson, who has prioritised asset optimisation and land release. The department has initiated a comprehensive property management conference approach to bolster capacity for efficient property management. KwaZulu-Natal has completed its property audit and begun releasing identified properties. The DPWI has also launched a request for proposals process for 31 properties, estimating this first phase will attract over R10bn in investment and create more than 165,000 jobs. However, challenges remain with audit processes, as evidenced by the delayed submission of the 2023/24 financial statements.

Are there plans?

Plans are included in Operation Vulindlela 2.0. Q2's progress report sets out next steps for this reform, to be completed by March 2026. These include identifying underutilised urban land and buildings for release and developing a standard partnership model to speed up the process while protecting the public interest.

Additionally, the DPWI Policy, Research and Regulations Branch has been tasked with aligning the Departmental Legislative Programme with the Seventh Administration Policy Priorities, including streamlining land release procedures. The Development Action Group and HSRC have published comprehensive reports documenting best practices and recommending streamlined procedures based on case studies from Cape Town, eThekwini, Johannesburg and Tshwane. These reports provide a nine-step framework for land release and identify key areas for procedural improvement.

Is it on the agenda?

This reform is firmly on the government agenda. It has presidential backing via SONA 2025 and Operation Vulindlela 2.0, strong ministerial leadership from Minister Macpherson and formal policy support in the 2024 White Paper for Human Settlements. Parliament is also actively engaged, with committees calling for urgent resolution of land release barriers to support housing delivery.

Goals

This reform seeks to eliminate bureaucratic bottlenecks and create clear, standardised procedures for releasing public land for development. The objective is to reduce the complex legal and administrative hurdles that have historically deterred developers and delayed affordable housing projects, ultimately making the land release process more efficient and transparent.

Departments / Govt Institutions

Department of Human settlements Department of Public Works and Infrastructure National Treasury The Presidency

Is it working?

Early indicators show promise but full efficacy is still being established. KwaZulu-Natal's initiative demonstrates practical success, with 86 properties identified for release and immediate cost savings of R24.3m annually. The overwhelming private sector interest in the national programme, necessitating deadline extensions, suggests strong market appetite. However, the substantive impact on affordable housing delivery remains to be seen, as the audit process is still being completed nationally. The delayed audit submissions indicate ongoing institutional capacity challenges that may affect implementation effectiveness.

Actions

DPWI Minister Dean Macpherson launched the Infrastructure Audit Programme on April 1 2025. One of the focus areas of the first phase is immovable asset management. There are also multiple municipalities conducting comprehensive land audits, with technical specifications and 12-month timeframes.

Are there plans?

Yes. Operation Vulindlela phase 2’s Q2 progress report sets out next steps for this reform, to be completed by March 2026. These include identifying underutilised urban land and buildings for release and developing a standard partnership model to speed up the process while protecting the public interest.

The Housing Development Agency (HDA) has issued detailed land identification guidelines supported by the National Human Settlements Land Indices (NaHSLI) tool, which assesses well-located land across multiple dimensions. The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has adopted eight resolutions on municipal land governance, requiring comprehensive land audits and needs assessments aligned with municipal Spatial Development Frameworks. The HDA’s Land Identification and Assessment Criteria (LIAC) provide a standardised framework built on four dimensions: context, suitability, integration and alignment.

Is it on the agenda?

This reform has been included in OV2.0 as a priority. Additionally, the President's 2025 SONA speech explicitly mentions the release of under-utilised state properties.

Goals

The objective is to create a comprehensive inventory of all under-utilised and vacant public properties across South Africa's metropolitan areas and secondary cities to identify opportunities for affordable housing development. This audit aims to enable strategic land availability for human settlement projects and address blockages in the identification of appropriately located land for housing to advance spatial transformation.

Departments / Govt Institutions

Department of Human settlements Department of Public Works and Infrastructure National Treasury The Presidency

Is it working?

Significant progress has been made with measurable outcomes. The Housing Development Agency (HDA) has successfully identified and profiled multiple land parcels using systematic criteria. However, systemic challenges remain, as evidenced by ongoing delays in major projects like Salt River Market, which was identified in 2008 but has still not broken ground. Additionally, municipal asset registers are often outdated, making it difficult to link facilities to land parcels. These shortcomings could delay the audit beyond 2026 and obstruct future land reform efforts. Successful streamlining requires not just regulatory change but also institutional capacity building and political commitment.

Actions

Several concrete actions have been implemented. The Public Procurement Act of 2024 has been enacted, providing a new legal framework for public asset disposal with enhanced transparency provisions. The Development Action Group, supported by government partnerships, has produced detailed procedural guidance that is being used to inform policy development. Minister Macpherson has emphasised procedural reform as part of his mandate to transform DPWI into an economic delivery unit. The department has also initiated practical reforms through its property release programme, which incorporates streamlined procedures.

Are there plans?

Yes, the reform forms part of Operation Vulindlela 2.0 and plans are included in the DHS' White Paper, approved in January 2025. The DPWI has developed and gained cabinet approval for a comprehensive property optimisation strategy focusing on better utilisation of state assets. The new Public Procurement Act of 2024 provides an updated legal framework for transparent public asset disposal.

Operation Vulindlela phase 2’s Q2 progress report sets out next steps for this reform, to be completed by March 2026. These include identifying underutilised urban land and buildings for release and developing a standard partnership model to speed up the process while protecting the public interest.

Is it on the agenda?

President Ramaphosa specifically committed to accelerating land release in the 2025 Sona, stating that: "The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure will finalise the transfer of 14,000 hectares of state land to the Housing Development Agency." The minister of the department of human settlement committed in the 2025 SONA debate to "deliver 200,000 housing units for households earning less than R3,500 per month, prioritising well-located land near economic opportunities". The reforms are also included in the government's premier structural reform programme, Operation Vulindlela 2.0, with dedicated monitoring and implementation support.

Goals

The goal is to unlock and release under-utilised state owned land and properties in metros and secondary cities for affordable housing development.

References

• Reference Link One
• Reference Link Two
• Reference Link Three

Departments / Govt Institutions

Department of Human settlements Department of Public Works and Infrastructure National Treasury The Presidency