The Legacy of the 1913 Black Land Act for Spatial Planning

Abstract

On 19 June 1913 the Natives Land Act 27 of 1913 was promulgated, signalling the commencement of legalised discriminatory land legislation in South Africa. By setting aside land for occupation and use by black people, the Act resulted in the unequal distribution of land between black and white people. Together with its sister Act, the Development Trust and Land Act 18 of 1936, the area allocated for black people comprised 13% of the land while the white population enjoyed the remaining 87% of the land, despite the fact that the white population was one fifth the size of the black population.