PUB1602
Assignment 2
Semester 1
Due April 2026
, Question 1
Explain how the Native Land Act contributed to unequal land ownership and
settlement patterns in South Africa. Discuss how this historical land inequality
continues to influence housing shortages, informal settlements and land reform
challenges after apartheid.
The Native Land Act of 1913 was one of the most significant pieces of legislation
shaping unequal land ownership in South Africa. The Act restricted Black South
Africans to owning or renting land in designated reserves that made up only about 7
percent of the country’s total land area, later increased to approximately 13 percent
through the Native Trust and Land Act of 1936 (Thompson, 2001).
This law had two major effects on settlement patterns. First, it concentrated Black
populations into overcrowded rural reserves with limited agricultural potential. Second, it
prevented Black South Africans from acquiring land in urban and economically
productive areas. As a result, land ownership became racially skewed, with the vast
majority of land controlled by the white minority (Christopher, 1994).
These historical patterns continue to influence housing and settlement issues after
apartheid. Because most urban land close to economic centres remains privately owned
and expensive, low income households struggle to access well located land for housing.
This contributes directly to housing shortages and the growth of informal settlements on
marginal land such as floodplains, road reserves and unused public land (Turok and
Scheba, 2019).
Land reform efforts since 1994 have faced major challenges because of this legacy.
Restitution and redistribution programmes often involve land that is far from urban
centres, reinforcing spatial inequality rather than reversing it. In addition, competing
claims, high land prices and slow administrative processes make it difficult to transfer
land at the scale required to address historical dispossession (Hall, 2014).
Assignment 2
Semester 1
Due April 2026
, Question 1
Explain how the Native Land Act contributed to unequal land ownership and
settlement patterns in South Africa. Discuss how this historical land inequality
continues to influence housing shortages, informal settlements and land reform
challenges after apartheid.
The Native Land Act of 1913 was one of the most significant pieces of legislation
shaping unequal land ownership in South Africa. The Act restricted Black South
Africans to owning or renting land in designated reserves that made up only about 7
percent of the country’s total land area, later increased to approximately 13 percent
through the Native Trust and Land Act of 1936 (Thompson, 2001).
This law had two major effects on settlement patterns. First, it concentrated Black
populations into overcrowded rural reserves with limited agricultural potential. Second, it
prevented Black South Africans from acquiring land in urban and economically
productive areas. As a result, land ownership became racially skewed, with the vast
majority of land controlled by the white minority (Christopher, 1994).
These historical patterns continue to influence housing and settlement issues after
apartheid. Because most urban land close to economic centres remains privately owned
and expensive, low income households struggle to access well located land for housing.
This contributes directly to housing shortages and the growth of informal settlements on
marginal land such as floodplains, road reserves and unused public land (Turok and
Scheba, 2019).
Land reform efforts since 1994 have faced major challenges because of this legacy.
Restitution and redistribution programmes often involve land that is far from urban
centres, reinforcing spatial inequality rather than reversing it. In addition, competing
claims, high land prices and slow administrative processes make it difficult to transfer
land at the scale required to address historical dispossession (Hall, 2014).
