Africa-Press – Eswatini. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development has formally introduced the Town Planning Board, appointed by the Honourable Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Hon. Appolo Maphalala, in terms of the Town Planning Act, 1961 and Legal Notice No. 3 of 2026, only on February 12, 2026.
The Board is a key statutory instrument in guiding and regulating spatial development across the Kingdom, ensuring that growth is structured, lawful, and aligned with national priorities. Its appointment highlights the strategic importance of town planning in Eswatini’s broader development agenda.
Board members include
Dr Simon Zwane – Chairperson
Vusie Mabuza – ex officio member
Dr Adman Shabangu – ex officio member
Mzwandile Ndzinisa – member
Zwakele Dlamini – member
The Town Planning Board is entrusted with all matters relating to Town Planning Schemes and serves as the principal advisory body to the Minister on their preparation, variation, and implementation.
Through its mandate, the Board advises the Minister on planning policy and scheme implementation, provides technical guidance and support to Local Authorities on Town Planning Schemes and township layout plans, oversees rezoning applications that alter land-use rights, promotes the study and professional advancement of town planning, and ensures that planning powers are exercised responsibly, transparently, and in the public interest.
Town Planning Schemes, which fall under the Board’s oversight, define land use rights, zoning frameworks, development controls, and long-term spatial objectives. These instruments provide predictability for investors, safeguard communities from incompatible land uses, and ensure that housing, infrastructure, industry, and commercial development are integrated.
The Board’s role is strategic, influencing urban expansion, housing, industrial development, environmental management, and infrastructure efficiency all critical to national economic performance and quality of life.
As the Ministry advances the draft Spatial Planning Bill, the Town Planning Board remains a central pillar in modernizing Eswatini’s planning system and strengthening sustainable urban and regional development.
Sustainable development is governance, not chance. The Town Planning Board exists to ensure that growth across the country is structured, lawful, and in the national interest.
