UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Science, Engineering and Technology
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
UPD3700: Urban Planning and Design
Assessment 2: Project — Year Module 2026
Spatial Transformation Strategy for Polokwane, 2026–2030
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
UPD3700
Module Code:
Urban Planning and Design
Module Name:
Spatial Transformation Strategy: Polokwane
Project Title:
2030
Assessment 2 (Project)
Assignment Number:
Year 2026]
Due Date:
100
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Ur-
ban Planning and Design UPD3700 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Annexure C: Affidavit
URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN PROJECT UPD3700 S2
I, , ID No/Passport No hereby
declare that this project is my own work.
SIGNED:
NAME IN BLOCK LETTERS:
STUDENT NUMBER:
CONTACT NUMBERS:
TEL:
CELL:
Page 2 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Annexure D: Project Mentor Comments
SUBJECT NAME AND CODE: URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN PROJECT UPD3700
Student name and surname:
Student number:
Cellphone number:
Unisa email:
Other email:
Mentor name and surname:
Employer:
Qualification:
Relevant experience (years):
Cellphone number:
Email address:
I (name) confirm that I acted as mentor for the student named
in this form. I am familiar with the project brief, and I provided input on the following as-
pects:
Page 3 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Neither UNISA nor I will in any way be liable for any costs with respect to this project. I
conducted this mentoring voluntarily and I was not paid for this. I did not mentor any other
students for this subject.
Signed: Date:
Page 4 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Annexure B: GA7 Assessment Rubric
Table 1: Graduate Attribute 7: Sustainability and Impact of Engineering Activity
Description Mark GA Fulfilment Score
Range
Student meets less than 30% of 0–30 Unsatisfactory 1
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student meets less than 45% of 35–45 Unsatisfactory 2
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student meets more than 50% of 50–60 Satisfactory 3
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student meets more than 60% of 60–70 Good Performance 4
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student meets more than 70% of 80–100 Excellent 5
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student Score: GA Fulfilment Level:
Page 5 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Contents
Annexure C: Affidavit 2
Annexure D: Project Mentor Comments 3
Annexure B: GA7 Assessment Rubric 5
1 1. Background and Introduction 9
1.1 1.1 Overview of the Project Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.2 1.2 Rationale for the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.3 1.3 Project Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2 2. Spatial Analysis 11
2.1 2.1 Historical Spatial Patterns: The Apartheid Legacy . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2 2.2 Current Urban Form and Key Spatial Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.3 2.3 Spatial Analysis Map Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.4 2.4 Spatial Implications for Planning Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3 3. Legislative and Policy Framework 14
3.1 3.1 Constitutional Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2 3.2 Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA), Act
16 of 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.3 3.3 Spatial Development Framework (SDF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.4 3.4 Integrated Development Plan (IDP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.5 3.5 National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4 4. IDP and Public Participation 17
4.1 4.1 The Role of the IDP in Spatial Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Page 6 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
4.2 4.2 Principles of Public Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.3 4.3 Proposed Public Participation Strategy for Polokwane . . . . . . . . 18
4.3.1 Phase 1: Process Plan and Community Mobilisation (Months 1–2) . . . . 18
4.3.2 Phase 2: Situational Analysis and Participatory Mapping (Months 3–4) . 19
4.3.3 Phase 3: Strategy Engagement and IDP Representative Forum (Months 5–
6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.3.4 Phase 4: Draft IDP/SDF Public Comment (Months 7–8) . . . . . . . . . 19
4.3.5 Phase 5: Approval and Feedback (Month 9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5 5. Spatial Vision 2030 20
5.1 5.1 Vision Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.2 5.2 Key Spatial Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.3 5.3 Spatial Structure: Nodes, Corridors and Urban Edge . . . . . . . . . 21
5.4 5.4 Integration of TOD, Densification and Activity Nodes . . . . . . . . 23
6 6. Implementation Strategy 24
6.1 6.1 Phased Programme of Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.1.1 Phase 1: Foundations (2026) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.1.2 Phase 2: Corridors and Nodes (2027–2028) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.1.3 Phase 3: Consolidation (2029–2030) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.2 6.2 Financial and Institutional Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.3 6.3 Risk Identification and Mitigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.4 6.4 Monitoring and Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
7 7. Graduate Attribute 7: Sustainability and Impact of Engineering Activity 28
7.1 7.1 Social Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
7.2 7.2 Economic Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Page 7 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
7.3 7.3 Environmental Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
7.4 7.4 Institutional Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
8 8. Conclusion 30
Reference List 31
Page 8 of 32
, UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
1. Background and Introduction
1.1 Overview of the Project Area
Polokwane is the capital city of the Limpopo Province and the largest urban centre north of
Gauteng. It functions as an administrative, commercial and educational hub for a predomi-
nantly rural province. The municipality had an estimated population of 628 999 people across
178 001 households according to Statistics South Africa (2011). Urban migration patterns have
accelerated this figure steadily since then, driven by people moving from rural villages and the
surrounding former homeland areas of Mankweng and Lebowakgomo to the city (University of
the Free State, 2013).
The city was historically known as Pietersburg and was founded in 1886 as an exclusively
white settlement. Its post-1994 renaming to Polokwane, meaning “sanctuary” in Northern
Sotho, reflected the aspirations of democratic transformation. However, the physical land-
scape of the city continues to carry the marks of apartheid-era spatial engineering (Moffat,
Chakwizira, Ingwani and Bikam, 2021).
1.2 Rationale for the Study
This project is commissioned by the Polokwane Local Municipality (PLM) to develop a Spa-
tial Transformation and Development Strategy covering the period 2026 to 2030. The strategy
addresses two core challenges. First, the inherited fragmented urban structure produced by
apartheid legislation that separated black residents into peripheral townships far from eco-
nomic opportunity. Second, the need to guide sustainable urban growth as the city continues
to attract regional migration (Chakwizira, Ntema and Moffat, 2021).
By 2030, Statistics South Africa projects that 71% of South Africa’s population will reside in
urban areas, making effective planning a national development priority (Todes and Harrison,
2021). Polokwane represents a secondary city where these pressures are keenly felt, and where
thoughtful spatial intervention can yield significant gains in equity, efficiency and environmen-
tal sustainability.
Page 9 of 32
College of Science, Engineering and Technology
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
UPD3700: Urban Planning and Design
Assessment 2: Project — Year Module 2026
Spatial Transformation Strategy for Polokwane, 2026–2030
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
UPD3700
Module Code:
Urban Planning and Design
Module Name:
Spatial Transformation Strategy: Polokwane
Project Title:
2030
Assessment 2 (Project)
Assignment Number:
Year 2026]
Due Date:
100
Total Marks:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Ur-
ban Planning and Design UPD3700 — UNISA 2026
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Annexure C: Affidavit
URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN PROJECT UPD3700 S2
I, , ID No/Passport No hereby
declare that this project is my own work.
SIGNED:
NAME IN BLOCK LETTERS:
STUDENT NUMBER:
CONTACT NUMBERS:
TEL:
CELL:
Page 2 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Annexure D: Project Mentor Comments
SUBJECT NAME AND CODE: URBAN PLANNING AND DESIGN PROJECT UPD3700
Student name and surname:
Student number:
Cellphone number:
Unisa email:
Other email:
Mentor name and surname:
Employer:
Qualification:
Relevant experience (years):
Cellphone number:
Email address:
I (name) confirm that I acted as mentor for the student named
in this form. I am familiar with the project brief, and I provided input on the following as-
pects:
Page 3 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Neither UNISA nor I will in any way be liable for any costs with respect to this project. I
conducted this mentoring voluntarily and I was not paid for this. I did not mentor any other
students for this subject.
Signed: Date:
Page 4 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Annexure B: GA7 Assessment Rubric
Table 1: Graduate Attribute 7: Sustainability and Impact of Engineering Activity
Description Mark GA Fulfilment Score
Range
Student meets less than 30% of 0–30 Unsatisfactory 1
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student meets less than 45% of 35–45 Unsatisfactory 2
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student meets more than 50% of 50–60 Satisfactory 3
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student meets more than 60% of 60–70 Good Performance 4
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student meets more than 70% of 80–100 Excellent 5
required assessment criteria for GA
7
Student Score: GA Fulfilment Level:
Page 5 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
Contents
Annexure C: Affidavit 2
Annexure D: Project Mentor Comments 3
Annexure B: GA7 Assessment Rubric 5
1 1. Background and Introduction 9
1.1 1.1 Overview of the Project Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.2 1.2 Rationale for the Study . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
1.3 1.3 Project Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2 2. Spatial Analysis 11
2.1 2.1 Historical Spatial Patterns: The Apartheid Legacy . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.2 2.2 Current Urban Form and Key Spatial Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.3 2.3 Spatial Analysis Map Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
2.4 2.4 Spatial Implications for Planning Intervention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3 3. Legislative and Policy Framework 14
3.1 3.1 Constitutional Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2 3.2 Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA), Act
16 of 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.3 3.3 Spatial Development Framework (SDF) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.4 3.4 Integrated Development Plan (IDP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.5 3.5 National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
4 4. IDP and Public Participation 17
4.1 4.1 The Role of the IDP in Spatial Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Page 6 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
4.2 4.2 Principles of Public Participation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4.3 4.3 Proposed Public Participation Strategy for Polokwane . . . . . . . . 18
4.3.1 Phase 1: Process Plan and Community Mobilisation (Months 1–2) . . . . 18
4.3.2 Phase 2: Situational Analysis and Participatory Mapping (Months 3–4) . 19
4.3.3 Phase 3: Strategy Engagement and IDP Representative Forum (Months 5–
6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
4.3.4 Phase 4: Draft IDP/SDF Public Comment (Months 7–8) . . . . . . . . . 19
4.3.5 Phase 5: Approval and Feedback (Month 9) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5 5. Spatial Vision 2030 20
5.1 5.1 Vision Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.2 5.2 Key Spatial Principles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
5.3 5.3 Spatial Structure: Nodes, Corridors and Urban Edge . . . . . . . . . 21
5.4 5.4 Integration of TOD, Densification and Activity Nodes . . . . . . . . 23
6 6. Implementation Strategy 24
6.1 6.1 Phased Programme of Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.1.1 Phase 1: Foundations (2026) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.1.2 Phase 2: Corridors and Nodes (2027–2028) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
6.1.3 Phase 3: Consolidation (2029–2030) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.2 6.2 Financial and Institutional Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
6.3 6.3 Risk Identification and Mitigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
6.4 6.4 Monitoring and Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
7 7. Graduate Attribute 7: Sustainability and Impact of Engineering Activity 28
7.1 7.1 Social Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
7.2 7.2 Economic Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Page 7 of 32
,UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
7.3 7.3 Environmental Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
7.4 7.4 Institutional Impact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
8 8. Conclusion 30
Reference List 31
Page 8 of 32
, UNISA | UPD3700 Spatial Transformation Strategy — Polokwane
1. Background and Introduction
1.1 Overview of the Project Area
Polokwane is the capital city of the Limpopo Province and the largest urban centre north of
Gauteng. It functions as an administrative, commercial and educational hub for a predomi-
nantly rural province. The municipality had an estimated population of 628 999 people across
178 001 households according to Statistics South Africa (2011). Urban migration patterns have
accelerated this figure steadily since then, driven by people moving from rural villages and the
surrounding former homeland areas of Mankweng and Lebowakgomo to the city (University of
the Free State, 2013).
The city was historically known as Pietersburg and was founded in 1886 as an exclusively
white settlement. Its post-1994 renaming to Polokwane, meaning “sanctuary” in Northern
Sotho, reflected the aspirations of democratic transformation. However, the physical land-
scape of the city continues to carry the marks of apartheid-era spatial engineering (Moffat,
Chakwizira, Ingwani and Bikam, 2021).
1.2 Rationale for the Study
This project is commissioned by the Polokwane Local Municipality (PLM) to develop a Spa-
tial Transformation and Development Strategy covering the period 2026 to 2030. The strategy
addresses two core challenges. First, the inherited fragmented urban structure produced by
apartheid legislation that separated black residents into peripheral townships far from eco-
nomic opportunity. Second, the need to guide sustainable urban growth as the city continues
to attract regional migration (Chakwizira, Ntema and Moffat, 2021).
By 2030, Statistics South Africa projects that 71% of South Africa’s population will reside in
urban areas, making effective planning a national development priority (Todes and Harrison,
2021). Polokwane represents a secondary city where these pressures are keenly felt, and where
thoughtful spatial intervention can yield significant gains in equity, efficiency and environmen-
tal sustainability.
Page 9 of 32
