Property

South Africa’s richest province getting new R27 billion ‘Mega City’

Shaun Jacobs • 12 May 2025

The City of Johannesburg has officially broken ground to construct the R27 billion Southern Farms Mega City Project in the south of the city.

This follows the launch of the Southern Farms Biodiversity Development Project in 2023, which aims to limit the megacity’s impact on the surrounding environment.

While this may seem quick, the project took over a decade of planning before construction could begin at the Bushkoppies Site Camp.

The site handover, held on 9 May 2025, marks the start of a 10-year initiative to deliver integrated housing and economic upliftment in the south of Joburg.

Central to the project is the construction of 43,000 housing units, which aims to address the city’s long-standing housing backlog.

Beyond housing, Southern Farms will offer clinics, schools, taxi ranks, roads and essential infrastructure to create a liveable, connected community.

These amenities are designed to support sustainable growth and ensure neighbourhoods prosper long after the last home is built.

The mixed-use land project will benefit areas like Diepkloof, Freedom Park, Eldorado Park, and Naturena. It will encompass seven precincts, offering various types of housing and non-residential properties.

“This project is about dignity. It restores faith by ensuring our residents are seen, valued and housed decently,” MMC for Human Settlements, Mlungisi Mabaso, said.

Officials appealed for the community to guard the project against land invasions and illicit activity, which have become a major threat to property development in South Africa’s richest city.

“Protect the development, support the appointed developer and refrain from anything that could stall progress,” Mabaso said.

Executive Mayor Dada Morero emphasised the project’s long-term impact, with its potential to tackle Joburg’s housing crisis and revive its economy.

“Southern Farms is a bold statement that every Joburg South resident deserves dignity, opportunity and progress. We’re building more than homes – we’re building an inclusive future,” he said.

Despite the fanfare around the announcement of the project breaking ground, it has been a long time coming, with plans first proposed over a decade ago.

The Gauteng provincial government first announced the construction of the megaproject in 2018, saying that the development would begin in 2019/20.

However, progress stagnated since then, with construction not beginning until 9 May 2025 due to numerous bottlenecks.

The project is being developed by construction company Sephahaphaha Trading and Projects, whose owner, Sedima Moseamedi, hopes it will boost local businesses in the area.

Southern Farms is expected to be accompanied by several other megaprojects in Johannesburg, which are set to change the face of the city.

These include other megacities, such as Cullinan Mega City, Daggafontein Mega City, Goudrand Mega City, John Dube Mega City and Stinkwater Mega City.

Each megacity includes massive infrastructure development with immense residential, commercial, and industrial components. It features schools, universities, hospitals, and transport hubs. The five biggest megacities are each located on one of Gauteng’s major corridors.

They represent a shift away from sporadic and uncoordinated developments to purposely planned and developed megacities that are completely self-sufficient in providing for the housing, economic and social needs of the community.