KwaDukuza Municipality's commitment to empowering emerging black property developers
KwaDukuza Local Municipality Mayor. Siduduzo Gumede outlined steps that are being taken to empower previously disadvantaged property developers.
Image: KwaDukuza Municipality / Facebook
The KwaDukuza Municipality has detailed the work it is doing to provide opportunities for emerging black property developers.
The Mayor of KwaDukuza, Sduduzo Gumede, recently spoke at the 2025 Emerging Property Developers Summit, highlighting the strides being made by his municipality in reversing spatial injustices and ensuring empowerment and prosperity for previously disadvantaged property developers, particularly those who are black.
“In the shadow of South Africa’s dark history, emerging black property developers face daunting challenges due to skewed ownership patterns that lock them out of economic opportunities, further perpetuating inequality in housing, land, and development. As a government, we have an obligation to ensure that participation and ownership in various sectors of the economy are truly deracialised.
“KwaDukuza Municipality has embarked on a journey to provide opportunities for black property practitioners through various programmes, including the appointment of Implementing Agents via its public sector housing delivery mechanisms, and the use of planning instruments to attract investment from black property developers. This will enable them to take advantage of the development of affordable housing opportunities for the lower-middle-income market," added the mayor.
He spokeof available opportunities if the sector, he said the government has developed the concept of Priority Housing Development Areas (PHSHDAs). These are specific zones within South Africa designated by the Minister of Human Settlements for targeted housing development, intending to address residential requirements and advance integrated human settlements. This initiative seeks to enable spatial transformation, address apartheid spatial patterns, and reinvigorate urban environments by expediting housing provision in locations where demand is highest, including among low-income populations in metropolitan districts or regions identified for “urban renewal”.
"In the case of KwaDukuza, we have identified a highly competitive space due to the coastal N2 corridor, connected with the inland R102 corridor. This will provide affordable housing in strategic locations within the KwaDukuza Town/Hyde Park Nonoti Area. This will encourage efficient service delivery and economic enhancement in KwaDukuza Municipality.
“As a municipality, we are aware that property development goes beyond the scope I have outlined above. The sector includes the building of shopping malls and centres, as well as other infrastructure necessary for decent human settlements. This Summit is an important platform that will be used to explore ways and means to ensure the participation of emerging black developers in this sector,” said the mayor.