T&D Jonker identifies the optimal development potential of your land and manages the statutory applications required to secure your land use rights. We provide comprehensive solutions for property owners and developers by specializing in property investment growth through strategic town planning.

Our team navigates the necessary regulatory frameworks across the North West, Mpumalanga, Free State, and Western Cape to ensure your project is both viable and compliant. By combining technical due diligence with active municipal engagement, we turn your property goals into legally secured assets.

Because our work is highly specialized and requires frequent site inspections and direct engagement at municipal offices, we do not maintain a traditional walk in office. This allows us to remain flexible and spend our time where it matters most: at your property and following up on your application at the relevant departments. 

While we serve clients nationwide, we maintain a strong local presence and specialized focus in:

• Klerksdorp (headquarters)

• Viljoenskroon

• Kroonstad

• Potchefstroom

• Middelburg, Mpumalanga

Yes, we provide detailed fee proposals for all projects to ensure accurate budgeting from the outset. While our quotations cover professional fees and known application costs, land use rights are subject to municipal oversight and requirements may evolve during the statutory process. Should authorities mandate additional specialist studies such as Traffic Impact Assessments, Heritage studies, or Environmental authorizations, we notify you immediately to update the project scope. Our transparent approach focuses on identifying these requirements early to minimize unforeseen costs and ensure all fees are approved before additional work commences. 

A 50% commencement fee is due once the quote is approved, with the remaining 50% payable upon formal submission of your application to the Municipality. 

We provide a detailed quote that clearly outlines the fee structure. The application fee covers the required municipal application fee, advertising in the local newspaper and government gazette (if applicable), and assistance with obtaining your title deed or zoning certificate (if required). It also includes printing of the application, application notices, and a site notice. Please note that VAT is applicable, as our services exceed the threshold requiring VAT registration. 

We strive to provide highly accurate fee proposals from the outset. However, during pre-consultation meetings with the municipality, it may be determined that specific specialist reports are required to support your application. These can include Traffic Impact Assessments, Electrical or Civil Engineering Reports, Heritage Resource Studies, or Geotechnical Reports.

While these technical studies are compiled by external specialists and not by our firm, they are often a mandatory statutory requirement for the approval of your land use rights. We assist our clients by identifying these needs early and coordinating with the necessary professionals to obtain the required documentation. Please note that the formal application process generally cannot proceed until these reports are finalized and included in the submission.

Another potential additional cost is the bulk service contribution fee, which is charged by the municipality once the application is approved. This fee covers the cost of upgrading or extending municipal services (such as water, electricity, sewage, and roads) to accommodate the new development. It is set by the municipality and is separate from our application fee.

Yes, you can certainly submit an application if there is a bond on your property. However, because the bank or financial institution has a legal interest in the land, their formal consent is required as part of the application process.

When you apply for a change in land use rights, such as a rezoning or a subdivision, the municipality will usually require a Bondholder’s Consent. This is a letter from your bank stating they have no objection to the proposed changes. Since a change in rights can affect the value of the property, the bank needs to be kept informed.

We can assist you by compiling a draft application for consent that you can submit to your financial institution. This ensures the bank receives the correct technical details and project descriptions they need to process your request efficiently.

The duration of a land use approval depends on the type and complexity of the application, as well as the local municipality where it is submitted. On average, most applications are approved within 4–8 months, provided there are no objections. If objections arise and a municipal hearing is required, the process can extend to 12 months or longer. 

To process your land use application, we require the title deed of the property. If the property is owned by a legal entity such as a company or trust, we also need the registration documents (e.g., trust deed, company registration certificate) and a resolution authorizing the application. If the property is bonded, the bondholder’s consent is required, which we can assist in obtaining. Finally, for all applications, the owner must sign a power of attorney. 

The land use application process is governed by mandatory statutory timeframes that municipalities are required to adhere to. Once an application is submitted, it moves through several distinct phases, each with its own set of deadlines for feedback and processing.

The process typically begins with a submission and completeness check where the municipality verifies that all required documentation is present. This is followed by a public participation period where neighbors and interested parties are notified. Simultaneously, the application undergoes internal circulation through various municipal departments, such as water, electricity, and roads, for technical comments. If objections are received, they are addressed in accordance with municipal procedures. In many cases, the application may also be referred to a Municipal Planning Tribunal hearing for consideration and a final decision. 

Our firm continuously monitors these milestones to ensure the municipality remains within the prescribed legal timeframes. We provide regular updates as your application clears each phase and we actively follow up with officials to expedite the process and address any administrative delays. Our goal is to ensure your project moves through the system as efficiently as possible.

If an objection is received during the public participation period, our firm is given the opportunity to review and formally respond to the concerns raised. We will keep you informed regarding the nature of the objections and the identity of the objector. Following this, the municipality may schedule a Municipal Planning Tribunal or Hearing where the cases of both the objector and the applicant are heard by a panel of experts.

It is important to note that the costs associated with preparing for and attending a formal hearing are not included in the initial application fee. These hearings are specialized legal proceedings that require significant additional preparation, the drafting of detailed heads of argument, and dedicated time for oral presentations. Clients have the option to instruct us to represent them at the hearing or to appoint a specialized attorney to handle the legal aspects. On larger or more complex applications, it is common practice to hire an attorney who works alongside the town planner to address specific legal nuances.

If the application is rejected, the municipality will issue a decision outlining the reasons for refusal. We will have the opportunity to review these reasons and, where appropriate, address the issues in a revised application or appeal the decision in accordance with municipal procedures. 

As your town planners, it is crucial that we inform you about bulk service contributions, also known as development charges. In South Africa, these are once off financial contributions that a property owner or developer must pay to the municipality as a condition of a land development approval, such as a rezoning or township establishment.

The purpose of these contributions is to cover the cost of the additional impact your development has on the existing municipal infrastructure. When you increase the intensity of land use, it puts more pressure on external engineering services like water reservoirs, sewerage treatment plants, municipal roads, and electricity substations. These levies ensure that the cost of upgrading or expanding this infrastructure is borne by the developer benefiting from the new rights, rather than the general body of ratepayers.

The process is governed by municipal policies and national legislation like the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act. How it works is that once your application is approved, the municipality’s engineering department calculates the contribution based on a set formula. This formula considers the specific increase in demand for services your project will create.

Payment of these contributions is usually required before you can exercise your new land use rights, such as obtaining building plan approval. We review these calculations to ensure they are fair and aligned with local policy. In some cases, a developer can reach a services agreement with the municipality to install certain external infrastructure themselves instead of making a full monetary payment.

Established in 2015, T&D Jonker brings over a decade of specialized experience in town planning and land use management. Our firm is built on a foundation of thorough due diligence and professional ethics. We believe in being transparent with our clients from the very first meeting; we carefully evaluate the merits of every project against municipal spatial development frameworks and provincial policies before proceeding.

Because of this rigorous pre-assessment process, we maintain an exceptionally high success rate, currently close to 100%. By ensuring that every application we submit is technically sound and aligned with local planning goals, we minimize the risk of refusals and costly delays for our clients.