KOUGA – Kouga Local Municipality has approved an 11-month amnesty on penalties for the submission of building plans for historic unauthorised building work.
The amnesty will run from 1 February 2026 to 15 December 2026, providing property owners with an opportunity to legalise unauthorised structures without incurring the higher alternative tariff normally applied to illegal building work.
Kouga Executive Mayor, Hattingh Bornman, supported the initiative.
“This amnesty reflects our commitment to supporting residents in regularising their properties while maintaining compliance with building and safety standards. It is a fair and practical solution for those who may have inherited historic non-compliance or were unaware of previous unauthorised works,” said Bornman.
The amnesty is subject to certain conditions: owners will still pay the standard building plan application fee, only unauthorised work conducted before 31 December 2024 will qualify, and no exemption applies where legal action has already been taken or where illegal work commences during or after the amnesty period.
“While this amnesty eases the financial burden of historic cases, it does not absolve property owners from other compliance requirements, including municipal by-laws, town planning regulations, or the National Building Regulations. Each application will be carefully assessed on its merits,” said Bornman.
Property owners are encouraged to conduct a property history check and attend a pre-consultation with the Building Control Department to understand the requirements before submitting applications.
Applications must be submitted via the OVVIO online portal, and supporting information, as well as Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), can be collected from the Jeffreys Bay or St Francis Bay offices or requested from Roelien Augustus (raugustus@kouga.gov.za) or Nontuthuzelo Jonas (njonas@kouga.gov.za).
For enquiries, the Building Control Department can be contacted at 042 200 2200 or via adminbuildingcontrol@kouga.gov.za and plansexaminer@kouga.gov.za.
