Objectives

The primary objective is to compile a comprehensive Spatial Development Framework (SDF) for Molemole Local Municipality. This strategic planning instrument will guide future land use, infrastructure development, and service delivery across the municipality’s jurisdiction in alignment with national and provincial legislative frameworks.

Scope

The project encompasses all wards within the Molemole Local Municipality, requiring contextual analysis of functional relationships with neighbouring municipalities. The work will be executed in six distinct phases:

• Phase 1: Spatial vision and objectives
• Phase 2: Data audit, collection, and field verification
• Phase 3: Spatial proposal, status quo, and diagnostic analysis
• Phase 4: Implementation framework
• Phase 5: Stakeholder consultation phase
• Phase 6: Finalisation and formal approval

Deliverables align with these phases, culminating in an approved SDF document, supporting spatial analyses, and a structured implementation plan.

Technical Requirements

Bidders must demonstrate capability to deliver statutory planning services compliant with the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA) and associated national guidelines. Key technical deliverables include:

• Comprehensive spatial analysis and status quo diagnostics
• Development of spatial proposals and zoning recommendations
• Creation of an actionable implementation framework with clear milestones
• Facilitation of structured public and stakeholder consultation processes
• Production of final documentation ready for municipal council approval
• Provision of editable GIS datasets, metadata standards, map atlases, and municipal spatial database integration
• Environmental impact and constraint assessments covering biodiversity, wetlands, climate risks, disaster hazards, and agricultural land suitability
• Policy formulation aligned with municipal planning directives

Skills and Personnel Requirements

The evaluation places heavy emphasis on team qualifications and past performance. Required personnel include:

• Project Manager: Must hold an NQF Level 7 qualification or higher in Town and Regional Planning, Urban and Regional Planning, or an equivalent field. Must be registered with SACPLAN as a Professional Planner and possess a minimum of eight years’ experience in developing SDFs, precinct plans, local spatial frameworks, and municipal policy documents.
• GIS Specialist/Designer: Must hold an NQF Level 6 qualification or higher in GIS, Geo-informatics, Geography, Geomatics, or a related discipline. Requires at least five years of experience managing municipal spatial databases, producing metadata, creating map atlases, and delivering editable GIS handovers.
• Environmental Specialist: Must hold an NQF Level 6 qualification or higher in Environmental Science, Environmental Management, Natural Resources, Agriculture, or a related field. Must demonstrate a minimum of five years’ proven experience assessing biodiversity, wetlands, climate risks, disaster hazards, agricultural land, and environmental constraints.
• Company Experience: Bidders must provide evidence of successfully completed, traceable projects involving municipal, district, or provincial SDFs, regional spatial development plans, or precinct/nodal settlement plans. Reference letters, appointment letters, or purchase orders are required.

Key Terms and Definitions

• Spatial Development Framework (SDF): A legally mandated five-year strategic planning document that coordinates land use, infrastructure, housing, and economic development within a municipality, ensuring alignment with integrated development plans and sectoral strategies.
• SACPLAN: The South African Council for Planners, the statutory body responsible for regulating the planning profession. Professional registration is compulsory for lead planners executing this contract.
• SPLUMA: The Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (Act 16 of 2013), which provides the overarching legal framework for spatial planning, land use management, and SDF compilation in South Africa.