Planning for the Margins: A Stakeholder-Centred Legislative Analysis of Sustainable Human Settlements Policy in South Africa’s Small Rural Towns

South Africa’s pursuit of sustainable human settlements is underpinned by a complex web of policies and legislative frameworks designed to redress spatial inequalities and promote inclusive development. Yet, small rural towns remain at the margins of planning and implementation, often constrained by weak institutional capacity, limited investment, and fragmented stakeholder coordination. This paper undertakes a stakeholder-centred legislative analysis to unpack how critical actors engage with, interpret, and implement sustainable human settlements policies within these rural settings. It examines the interplay between national frameworks, such as the Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act (SPLUMA), the Housing Act, and the National Development Plan (NDP 2030), and local governance realities. Using a qualitative stakeholder analysis method, the study identifies and categorises stakeholders according to their influence and interest, ranging from national and provincial departments, district and local municipalities, traditional authorities, private developers, civil society organisations, and community-based structures. Secondary data from policy documents, planning frameworks, and implementation reports are analysed to determine stakeholder roles, responsibilities, and levels of collaboration in advancing sustainable human settlements in small rural towns. Findings reveal a fragmented institutional landscape characterised by limited coordination between state and non-state actors, inadequate inclusion of traditional leadership in planning processes, and misaligned accountability frameworks. The study argues that the current legislative environment lacks mechanisms for shared governance and participatory decision-making at the local level. Consequently, a rural-responsive stakeholder framework is proposed, one that clarifies roles, strengthens vertical and horizontal collaboration, and promotes legislative harmonisation to enhance collective implementation. This paper contributes to debates on inclusive governance and spatial justice by advancing a stakeholder-oriented approach to sustainable human settlements planning in South Africa’s small rural town.