Who decides
For land in Grahamstown, municipal compliance & spluma certificates falls under the planning powers of Makana Local Municipality, Eastern Cape. It forms part of the Sarah Baartman District, but the district municipality is not assumed to decide these applications.
| Municipality | Makana Local Municipality (local) |
|---|---|
| Province | Eastern Cape |
| District | Sarah Baartman |
Local requirements
The aim of municipal compliance & spluma certificates is to assistance with land-use compliance certificates required before transfer, where applicable. Common situations in Eastern Cape towns such as Grahamstown include: a conveyancer has asked for a SPLUMA or land-use certificate before transfer.
Areas covered by Makana Local Municipality include Grahamstown. Neighbouring municipalities in the Sarah Baartman District, such as Blue Crane Route, Dr Beyers Naudé, Kou-Kamma, Kouga, Ndlambe, Sundays River Valley, are separate planning authorities with their own by-laws and schemes, so the correct municipality must be confirmed from the property's location.
Whether the authorised official or the Municipal Planning Tribunal of Makana Local Municipality decides depends on the category of application in its planning by-law, read with SPLUMA (2013) and the land use scheme. Appeals go to the municipality's appeal authority. Fees, documents and timeframes are set by Makana Local Municipality and change from time to time, so they are confirmed for each matter.
When you may need it
- A conveyancer has asked for a SPLUMA or land-use certificate before transfer
The broad process
- Confirm requirement
- Compliance check
- Application
- Issue of certificate
Documents commonly required
- Erf description
- Approved building plans where available
What affects cost
- Municipal fees
- Extent of compliance issues found
Professional fees, municipal application fees, advertising and specialist costs are quoted separately for each matter. Timeframes depend on completeness, objections, specialist work and municipal processing.
Questions
Which municipality handles municipal compliance & spluma certificates in Grahamstown?
Makana Local Municipality in Eastern Cape is the planning authority for Grahamstown. The exact property location should still be confirmed, as municipal boundaries do not always follow town names.
Does the Sarah Baartman District Municipality decide municipal compliance & spluma certificates applications?
Not by default. Under SPLUMA, local municipalities such as Makana Local Municipality are their own planning authorities for most land-use applications.
What should I check before starting with municipal compliance & spluma certificates in Grahamstown?
Useful starting points are: Erf description; Approved building plans where available. Title deed conditions, servitudes and previous approvals should also be checked.