Articles Published - Local Government, Planning, Development and Environmental Law Archives

All About Property | Purchasing property in South Africa: The latest legal rules and requirements every foreign and non-resident buyer should know

South Africa continues to attract international property investors seeking lifestyle, residential, and commercial opportunities in one of Africa’s most established real estate markets. While foreign nationals and non-residents may generally acquire property in South Africa, understanding the legal and regulatory

All About Property | August 2026

In this edition of All About Property, we unpack the City of Cape Town’s proposed Short-Term Letting By-law, explore the latest legal rules and considerations every foreign and non-resident purchaser should know, examine the SCA’s finding regarding the commencement of

Newsflash | Unpacking the City of Cape Town’s proposed Short-Term Letting By-law: Critical implications for property owners and operators

Released for public comment last week, the City of Cape Town’s draft Short-Term Letting By-law, 2026 (‘the draft By-law’) introduces a regulatory framework for the registration, monitoring, and enforcement of short-term letting within the City’s jurisdiction. Proposed against the backdrop

All About Property Newsflash | Major court rulings shaping property law

In this edition of All About Property, STBB’s Darren Brander explores a landmark ConCourt decision and its implications for property developers and we report on the Western Cape High Court’s abolition of the ‘husband’s domicile’ rule. Landmark Constitutional Court judgment

All About Property Newsflash | Landmark Constitutional Court judgment on public land deals: Why developers should rethink due diligence

For property developers and investors, acquiring public land has traditionally centred on commercial fundamentals: Securing planning approvals, environmental authorisations, and financing. The Constitutional Court’s landmark judgment in Adonisi v Minister for Transport and Public Works, Western Cape, however, suggests that

All About Property | Property sales and building plans: When is a seller legally obligated to provide approved plans?

At STBB, our experienced team of property law attorneys are often tasked with determining whether a seller is legally obliged to provide a purchaser with approved building plans in resale property transactions. For Director and experienced real estate lawyer, James

STBB Property Investors Club | Maximising property investment: Understanding South Africa’s UDZ tax incentive

Urban renewal has long been a challenge in South Africa’s major cities, where aging infrastructure and urban decay discourage much-needed investment. To address this problem, government introduced the pivotal Urban Development Zone (‘UDZ’) incentive under section 13quat of the Income

Blog | Reminder: Review the City of Cape Town’s Supplementary Valuation Roll

Every year, the City of Cape Town is required to certify and publish at least one Supplementary Valuation Roll (‘SVR’). The SVR ensures that property values remain accurate and up to date between the publication of General Valuation Rolls (‘GVRs’),

Gauteng Newsflash | Urgent notice: The City of Johannesburg is currently offline

As part of a plan to address several key processes, the City of Johannesburg’s system (‘the COJ’) is currently offline. While we cannot be certain, we expect the shutdown to continue for approximately three weeks as the COJ finalises the

Newsflash | New Cape Town laws incentivise micro-development

Last week, the City of Cape Town approved various additions and key amendments to its Municipal Planning By-law (‘the MPBL’) in a bid to stimulate micro-development, encourage a shift from informal shelter to affordable rental units, and crack down on