 | Amnesty period granted for unauthorised alternative energy systems in Drakenstein
24 January 2025 | Press Releases |
24 January 2025Drakenstein Municipality has approved an amnesty period for property owners in Drakenstein (covering Paarl, Wellington, Mbekweni, Gouda, Hermon, Saron and Simondium) who had installed alternative energy systems without obtaining all the necessary prior approvals. This amnesty period ends at midnight on 31 March 2025.
With Eskom's previous challenges to supply adequate power to the national grid, it is understandable that property owners around South Africa investigated and installed alternative means to provide reliable power supply to their properties. At the same time, it appears that many registered professional installers were unaware that applications had to be submitted and obtained prior to installing alternative energy systems. What is more, is that these requirements differ from one municipal area to the other.
That is why Drakenstein Municipality decided to approve an amnesty period. During the amnesty period, the Municipality will not levy any administrative penalties against property owners who had installed alternative energy systems prior to obtaining all the necessary approvals. These property owners do, however, need to submit their applications for approval to the Municipality before midnight on 31 March 2025.
They should note that these applications consist of two parts: 1) a building plan approval, which is administered by the Municipality's Building Control section; and 2) permission to install Small-Scale Energy Generation (SSEG), which is administered by the Municipality's Electro-Technical Services division.
For the first part, the building control approval application, property owners will need the following documents:
- Building plan(s) indicating the proposed works, including the location of inverter(s) and batteries (adhering to the South African National Standards (SANS) 10400 Part A specification regarding drawings, scale, dimensions and colours). This plan(s) should be prepared by a professional registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP);
- Power of attorney (and company resolution, should the property be registered as a business or trust);
- Drakenstein Municipality building plan application form;
- South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP) compliance form;
- SANS10400 Form 1;
- SANS10400 Form 2, completed by a structural engineer giving a rational assessment of the roof structure;
- Title deed;
- Schedule Generation (SG) diagram;
- If the installation encroaches on a building line, the Municipality's Land Use section may require a building line encroachment application. Approval of the building plan will be reliant on the approval of this application, so the Municipality suggests that property owners proceed with the building line encroachment application before submitting a building plan application;
- If the building is older than 60 years or situated in the Special Character Overlay Zone (Wellington or Paarl), the property owner needs to obtain comment or approval from the Drakenstein Heritage Committee. Comment may also be required from other Heritage Western Cape (HWC) registered or interested heritage bodies, as well as possibly HWC approval. It is important that the property owners identify all these requirements before submitting their building plans; this will help to expedite the building plan approval process.
[Please note that this is a general list of the requirements applicable to most instances but does not necessarily include all requirements that may be applicable, due to other legislation that needs to be considered for each application.]
Property owners should submit the above documentation via Drakenstein Municipality's website at the following link: Drakenstein - Submit-Building-Plans-and-Land-Use-Applications-Online. Application forms can be found here.
For the second part of the application, the SSEG permission, the following are required:
- The application must be prepared by an electrical engineer who is registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA);
- The property owner's identity document and municipal account;
- The location of the premises where the installation is due to take place;
- A single-line diagram containing key information on installation details;
- The necessary specifications in terms of solar panel, battery, and inverter equipment;
- Confirmation by a structural engineer that the roof structure is designed for the additional weight (where solar panels are included in the installation); and
- An NRS097 (National Rationalised Specifications) certificate.
For the necessary forms and enquiries, property owners can contact the Municipality's Electro-Technical Services division at energy@drakenstein.gov.za or 021 807 4664.
Before the alternative energy installation is switched on, a copy of a certificate of compliance and an occupation certificate must be handed over to the Municipality, which will be supported by a contract concluded with the Municipal Council as well as a final approval letter confirming that the process is complete.
Drakenstein Municipality is making sure that the current legislation is enforced strictly to ensure high standards and overall safety. The Municipality applies the SANS, the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (103 of 1977), the Occupational Health and Safety Act (85 of 1993) and the regulations made under these, as well as its relevant policies and bylaws.
Any property owner who wishes to install an alternative energy system(s) in Drakenstein, including solar panels and battery back-up systems, should submit the abovementioned applications to the Municipality and receive approvals BEFORE installing.
Consumers should note that once the amnesty period expires, it remains an offence if an installation is carried out without the necessary approvals by the local authority, as described in Section 4 of the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (103 of 1977) as amended. Perpetrators will be fined or taken to Drakenstein Municipality's Municipal Court. The normal fine for illegal building operations is R1 000. If not rectified, it could lead to legal action.
For any enquiries, property owners can contact the Municipality's Building Control section at 021 807 6244 or buildingcontrol@drakenstein.gov.za, and the Electro-Technical Services division at energy@drakenstein.gov.za or 021 807 4664.
Audio Clips
Amnesty Period - English
Amnesty Period - Afrikaans
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Issued by: Communication and Marketing, Drakenstein Municipality
For media enquiries, contact: Riana Geldenhuys, Manager: Communication and Marketing, Drakenstein Municipality, on 021 807 6390, 082 460 5554 or rianag@drakenstein.gov.za.
