Review of Traditional Authority Customary Land Management Practices in Limpopo Province of South Africa

This policy brief examines the intersection of municipal and traditional authority land management in South Africa, specifically focusing on case studies from the Vhembe District Municipality in Limpopo Province. It analyzes the hierarchical structures of traditional councils, the complex process of land development applications, and proposes innovations like the RECA model to mitigate land invasions and improve cooperative governance.

• Traditional authorities in South Africa operate within a strict hierarchy consisting of Kings, Chiefs, Headmen, and Sub-headmen. Traditional councils are composed of 60% members selected by senior traditional leaders and 40% elected by the community, with a requirement that one-third of elected members be women.
• Land governance in traditional areas is often characterized by conflict and 'land grabs,' which result in shortages of land for grazing, agriculture, and future development. This is exacerbated by the fact that traditional authorities sometimes release land for development without consulting municipalities or following formal land-planning processes.
• The land development application process in the Tshivhase Traditional Council follows a logical, multi-step flow. It begins with land identification and a Permission-to-Occupy (PTO) issued by the traditional authority, followed by engagement with the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD) and the municipality in accordance with the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) of 2013.
• To combat land invasions, the Tshivhase Traditional Land Council developed the 'Record, Engage, Collaborate and Avoid' (RECA) model. This innovation emphasizes recording all land transactions, engaging communities to avoid conflict, collaborating with municipalities for proper demarcation, and implementing proactive land-release strategies.
• The development of the Tshakhuma Shopping Mall in the Acting Chief Madzivhandila Mathambo Traditional Authority serves as a successful example of high-tech modern land development managed through traditional and municipal cooperation, executed according to national planning standards.
• The document recommends several policy improvements, including the creation of 'centres of land development application excellence' for traditional councils, the use of interns to build digital cadaster systems using drones and GPS, and allowing traditional leaders to sit on Municipal Planning Tribunals (MPT) for applications in their areas.

APA

Chakwizira, J., & Tshivhase, F. (2024). Review of Traditional Authority Customary Land Management Practices in Limpopo Province of South Africa. Public Affairs Research Institute. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241125_LandPolicy-Brief_ChakwiziraTshivhase.pdf

Chicago

Chakwizira, James, and Funani Tshivhase. Review of Traditional Authority Customary Land Management Practices in Limpopo Province of South Africa. Public Affairs Research Institute, 2024. https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241125_LandPolicy-Brief_ChakwiziraTshivhase.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Chakwizira |first1=James |last2=Tshivhase |first2=Funani |title=Review of Traditional Authority Customary Land Management Practices in Limpopo Province of South Africa |publisher=Public Affairs Research Institute |date=November 2024 |url=https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241125_LandPolicy-Brief_ChakwiziraTshivhase.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{chakwizira2024review, author = {Chakwizira, James and Tshivhase, Funani}, title = {{Review of Traditional Authority Customary Land Management Practices in Limpopo Province of South Africa}}, institution = {Public Affairs Research Institute}, year = {2024}, month = nov, url = {https://pari.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/20241125_LandPolicy-Brief_ChakwiziraTshivhase.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }