The New Urban Agenda (NUA) National Progress Report provides an update on South Africa’s implementation of the NUA, a global, cross-sectoral framework adopted in 2016 by UN-Habitat to guide the planning and development of sustainable cities. Domestically, this framework is localised through key policies, including the National Development Plan (NDP) 2030 and the Integrated Urban Development Framework (IUDF), the implementation of which is intricately linked to the implementation of the NUA.

South Africa is a highly urbanised country, and significant progress has been made in implementing the NUA. However, the report highlights that progress is tempered by deep structural inequalities, poverty and unemployment, which are exacerbated by spatial injustice and the proliferation of informal settlements. The report focuses on governance challenges and the critical need for improved intergovernmental collaboration, enhanced municipal capacity and meaningful engagement with all societal stakeholders to achieve a more equitable and integrated urban future.

The data-driven, evidence-based methodology used integrates extensive stakeholder engagement to reflect diverse perspectives. The report is rich in quantitative data, including key indicators linked to the sustainable development goals (SDGs), and covers the majority of the NUA indicators. It also includes rich qualitative data and features numerous “local good practice” case studies, showcasing community-led initiatives in areas such as mobility, waste management and solar energy. In addition, the report draws on qualitative insights from South Africa’s inaugural National Urban Forum (NUF) in 2024.

The report is structured around the NUA’s four transformative commitments: Sustainable Urban Development for Social Inclusion and Ending Poverty, Sustainable and Inclusive Urban Prosperity and Opportunities for All, Environmentally Sustainable and Resilient Urban Development, and Effective Implementation. The fifth part, the Stakeholder Consultation Report, captures in detail the extensive nationwide, all-of-society consultation workshops that took place to gather data and information that informed the report. Finally, the report concludes with Strategic Ways Forward, proposing key actions to accelerate implementation by 2036.

This report has been prepared by the Department of Human Settlements, in partnership with the Department of Cooperative Governance, the South African Local Government Association and the South African Cities Network.