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Building Control

SIGNAGE AND BUILDING APPLICATION ONLINE SUBMISSION
Click on Building Plan Portal to submit building plans online.
Click for detailed instructions to use the Building Plan Portal.
Follow this link for Video Tutorial on How to Register on the Building Plan  Portal
Follow this link for Video Tutorial on How to Change your Password  on the Building Plan  Portal
Follow this link for Video Tutorial on How to Submit Building Plans using the Building Plan  Portal

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS
Click for Bylaws related to Building Control, including Outdoor Advertising, Problem Premises.
Click Policies and Guidelines related to Building Control, including Outdoor Advertising.

Building applications must be submitted via the Building Plan Portal as per above link and will not be received at the Building Control offices.
Detailed instructions on how to use the portal can be downloaded link above.

Administration
Building Control: 044 801 9370/9166/9019

Request for Building Inspections:  Musa Daykop – mdyakop@george.gov.za / 044 801 9166
Status on Building Plan Approval: vnlaws@george.gov.za or agriessel@george.gov.za
Signage Applications: pmlingani@george.gov.za
Demolition Applications:  mdyakop@george.gov.za
Building Control Complaints: building.control.complaints@george.gov.za  / smoshani@george.gov.za

Technical
Manager Building Control: Fickerie Toyer – ftoyer@george.gov.za
Building Control Officer:  Stephen Saunders – sinsaunders@george.gov.za

Assistant Building Control Officer:
James Vollenhoven – jevollenhoven@george.gov.za / 044 801 9093
Mkhululi Nyeka – mnyeka@george.gov.za / 044 801 9097
Eddie Koeberg –  ekoeberg@george.gov.za/ 044 801 9091
Luthando Fatyela –  lfatyela@george.gov.za/ 044 801 9094
Sibusiso Mahanjana – smahanjana@george.gov.za
Sibabalwe Lunika – slunika@george.gov.za

Plan Examiner: Hannes Labuschagne – 044 801 9126 / jjlabuschagne@george.gov.za
Plan Examiner: Fusiza Nomlala – 044 801 9088 / Fsiguba@george.gov.za

BUILDING PLAN APPROVAL PROCESS
A municipality is responsible for the approval of building plans. The building control division is responsible for the approval process of building plan applications and the enforcement of statutory requirements regulating buildings, in terms of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (Act 103 of 1977).  It ensures that all applicable legislation and other relevant standards are conformed with.

A building plan can only be submitted to the municipality if all legal requirements are met. Except for minor works (as determined by the municipality) all building plans must be drafted by an architect registered with the South African Council of Architectural Professionals and it is the responsibility of the property owner to ensure the architect is registered.

In George a building plan is submitted via an electronic portal. This means that all plans must be uploaded onto a system which assists to manage and track all building plans.  This portal was designed to give online information to owners, architects, draughtspersons, agents etc. regarding building plan applications and reflects the progress that has been made with the approval of the plan. Besides the building plan other information is required such as a title deed and a Power of Attorney. The property owner can grant another person the authority to act on their behalf, by signing a Power of Attorney which forms part of the supporting documentation necessary for the submission of the building plan, and includes the permission to complete and sign the SANS and application forms required.

The SANS forms were developed by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), and SANS 10400 is a series of regulations that set the standards for building construction across the country. Adhering to them is mandatory and the SANS forms must be signed and submitted as part of your building plan application via the portal.

If the building is a single residential property, an extension, a refurbishment of a house, or a similar less complex project, the architect (also called the competent person) will sign all of these forms based upon the authority of the property owner. For a double story the expertise of a structural engineer may also be required to make sure the structure is solid and can bear the load of the construction.

If the building work is more complex, such as a block of flats, a shopping centre, or an industrial building then an engineer or another professional will be appointed as the competent person. The competent person in all cases and irrespective of the type of structure signs the SANS forms to say that they are competent and have the skills, abilities and knowledge to sign the documents and the proficiency to oversee the work to be done. The competent person will be supported by the architect, the quantity surveyor, the developer and other professions as required.

The property owner must always remember that they are accountable as the registered property owner, to ensure adherence to the obligations particularly where their duly authorised nominee (eg competent person) has not adhered to the terms of the National Building Standards and Regulations Act.

Once the building plan and all the required documents have been uploaded onto the portal, the building control section will check to ensure administrative compliance. There may be particular site-specific documents which will be requested if needed, these include where there are telephone or electrical poles, where there are municipal services, if the building is older than 60 years old, and if there are any trees (especially indigenous trees) to be affected).

As soon as it is determined that all the administrative issues have been dealt with, the plan will then be scrutinised by a building plan examiner.  The examiner will check that all the technical requirements are in place from a building control perspective. The plan also gets circulated to all other internal and external authorities who need to check the plan. This includes municipal engineers to check on municipal services, the fire department to check for fire safety, town planning who checks on compliance with the town planning policies and approvals, and any other entity that the building control section requires to scrutinise the plan. The examination of a building plan is not the task of a single person.

After this process of plan consideration all comments received, the building control section will scrutinizes the plan and review the comments, based upon which an outcome is formulated and submitted to the Building Control Officer (BCO) for a recommendation to the decision-maker for an outcome.

If the building plan needs to be amended, the applicant/agent will be informed of the required amendments and the revised building plan needs to be resubmitted. On receipt of the amended building plan, the plan will then be re-circulated to the departments that required additional information and if these amendments were done and confirmed as such by the departments, an outcome will be formulated by the building control and send to the building control officer for the memorandum of recommendation to the decision-maker for an outcome. This process may take a few re-submissions and as most plans are re-submitted a number of times as they are non-compliant. Once the BCO is satisfied s/he will sign off the plan.

The BCO is an official who is appointed in terms of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act by Council.

The applicant will be informed of the outcome of the application.

Once the plan is approved the competent person/s take responsibility for the process. If the construction is more complex in nature, as soon as the building plans (the architect’s drawings) are approved, the engineer will draft their drawings which set out the technical requirements. The engineer is not required to submit the technical or structural drawings to the municipality for approval, as the engineer certifies the drawings themselves.

The competent person (usually the structural engineer) takes full responsibility for the control and management of the site. This means that they are not required to request the municipality to undertake any inspections. In terms of law, the competent person will do the required checks and inspections and ensure adherence to the building plan. If there are any amendments to the approved plan, the competent person must approve the amendments, which will then be submitted to the municipality at the end of the build along with all the required certificates of compliance when the occupation certificate is applied for.

Once all building work has been completed the owner, or contractor or builder may apply for a certificate of occupancy which must be issued by the municipality, within 14 days of requesting the application, on condition that the work done complied with the approved plans and that all the relevant certificates have been submitted. These certificates include the engineer’s completion certificate, the drainage certificate, and the electrical compliance certificate. The certificates of compliance are issued by the responsible professional. For example, the electrician will issue a certificate stating that all the electrical work has been correctly carried out and is safe for use. The sign-off of the compliance certificates cannot be undertaken by the building control officials as they are not competent professionals in the various fields.

If your request for the occupation certificate was denied the municipality should supply you with reasons as to why the request was denied.

The building can only be used and occupied when a certificate of occupancy has been issued.

If a construction is less complex, such as the examples given above, a different process is followed. Once the building plan has been approved three different inspections will be carried out:

  • Commencement inspection and Trenches / Excavations inspection: – It is required that the owner/contractor should give notice to the municipality prior to the commencement of any building work on site. In most instances, the commencement and trenches / excavations inspection are combined.
  • drainage / sewer inspection, and
  • completion inspection / occupation inspection.

It is the responsibility of the owner to request the different inspections at the different stages of construction work.  Requests for building inspections must be submitted timeously.  Once the completion inspection has been done and is fully compliant an occupation certificate is issued on the written request of the owner within fourteen (14) days. The building can only be used and occupied when a certificate of occupancy has been issued.