State of land information in South Africa

The project was a collaboration between the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa, and the Land Portal, a Dutch based foundation which seeks to promote the open sharing of data and information on land issues both globally and, in collaboration with local partners, in individual countries.

An initial scoping research exercise by CSIR formed the basis for a technical assessment by the Land Portal of the availability and accessibility of land information in South Africa, using a methodology based on international open data principles, which had also been applied in four previous SOLI studies (in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and South Sudan).

SoLI Report

The State of Land Information in South Africa Report summarises the key points of both pieces of work along with the findings of a collective reflection on what has been learned from the process. Overall the aims have been to produce an up to date map, capable of continuous development, of the land information ecosystem in South Africa, to identify gaps and the potential for future work and to further develop the research and assessment methodologies used, prior to their application in other settings.

Research Report

The accessibility assessment was based on a wide-ranging survey of sources of land information in South Africa, conducted by the CSIR, and written up as ‘Sources of Land Information in South Africa and their Institutional Context’.

Webinar Report

The launch of the State of Land Information in South Africa was the topic for a LandPortal Webinar held in October 2020. The Webinar Report captures the main discussion points during the launch and ensuing panel discussion.   

Data Stories

Three data stories were also produced as part of this project:

• South Africa's Move Towards Spatial Transformation - A look into trends in land market data

• Rethinking informal settlements in pre-apartheid, apartheid and post-apartheid South Africa

• Does South African Law Engender Women's Land Rights? Gender and Land Rights Data - A Look Into South Africa's Policies and Practices