Rethinking Communal Land Administration
Communal land administration is a critical but underdeveloped pillar of South Africa’s land reform and governance system. It directly affects tenure security, local economic development, and the ability of rural communities to participate meaningfully in democratic processes.
Afesis is advancing practical, scalable approaches to strengthen land administration in communal areas — focusing on the recognition of social and customary tenure, the development of accessible land record systems, and the improvement of public sector capacity at local level.
This work is designed to contribute to:
- Improved tenure security for vulnerable households
- Strengthened local governance and accountability
- Enhanced conditions for service delivery and development planning
By rethinking how land rights are recorded and governed, Afesis seeks to unlock inclusive, sustainable development in historically marginalised areas. Building on this strategic focus, Afesis has contributed to a growing body of research that interrogates the systemic challenges and opportunities within communal land administration.
The publications featured below form part of this work, offering evidence-based insights, policy analysis, and practical recommendations drawn from both field experience and collaborative research processes. Collectively, they reflect Afesis’ commitment to advancing knowledge that informs institutional reform, strengthens tenure security, and supports more responsive and accountable land governance systems.
