The approval by the metro to waive development charges for Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres in designated areas in Pretoria comes as welcome news for communities that have long struggled to access safe, formalised early learning services.

The decision was taken during the council meeting on January 29.

It marks a meaningful step towards removing structural barriers that have prevented hundreds of ECD operators from operating legally and sustainably, particularly in historically disadvantaged parts of the city.

The Section 79 Community and Social Development Committee has welcomed the council’s approval, describing it as a significant administrative and policy intervention that responds directly to realities on the ground.

The Chairperson of Community and Social Development, Rebecca Monchusi, said the waiver reflects “the metro’s commitment to improving access to early childhood development services where they are most needed, while ensuring that children’s safety and well-being remain central”.

For many years, development charges linked to consent use applications for places of child care have posed a major obstacle for ECD operators.

In townships, informal settlements, rural areas and traditional authority areas, these costs have often been unaffordable, effectively excluding many centres from compliance, registration and access to government support.

As a result, a large portion of the ECD sector has been forced to operate outside formal regulatory frameworks, despite playing a critical role in their communities.

Statistics presented to council illustrate the scale of the challenge: More than 300 ECD applications have been stalled since 2022 due to unaffordable development charges and related infrastructure requirements.

Monchusi said of the 628 known ECD centres in Tshwane, only 101 are currently registered, and just seven of these are located in designated areas.

The approved waiver directly addresses this bottleneck by removing one of the most significant financial barriers to formalisation.

According to Monchusi, the decision was informed by extensive engagement with stakeholders and careful consideration of the developmental needs of children and communities.

She indicated that ECD is a foundational investment and that enabling ECD centres to comply with planning and health requirements ultimately strengthens the entire social development ecosystem of the city.

Beyond its immediate impact on ECD operators, the waiver also enhances the ability of oversight structures to function effectively.

She explained that by opening the door for more centres to enter the formal system, the metro enables the oversight committee, ward councillors and other public representatives to engage with a broader and more representative ECD sector.

“At the same time, the waiver empowers practitioners and community-based operators who have been held back by administrative and financial hurdles. With development charges removed, these operators are better positioned to participate meaningfully in regulatory processes, improving accountability, compliance and service delivery in the best interests of children,” confirmed Monchusi.

The focus, she noted, is not on lowering standards, but on making compliance achievable.

The concession applies specifically to ECD centres located in designated areas, as adopted by Council on February 24, 2022. These areas are grouped into four categories to reflect differing levels of formalisation and infrastructure.

Category A includes proclaimed townships with title deeds and existing municipal infrastructure, where development charges are waived, provided internal upgrades meet minimum standards.

Category B covers unproclaimed townships with beneficiary ownership and basic infrastructure, allowing for interim service solutions where required.

Category C refers to informal settlements without surveyed stands but with some basic services, while Category D applies to traditional authority areas on communal land under permission to occupy.

In all cases, development charges are waived with allowances for appropriate, safe infrastructure solutions.

The practical benefits of the waiver are far-reaching.

ECD centres in designated areas will now be able to apply for consent use without the burden of development fees, proceed with building plan approvals and health compliance processes. They can register with the Department of Basic Education and access government subsidies, including the per-child daily subsidy.

Monchusi believes these steps are essential – not only for the sustainability of centres – but also for improving safety, infrastructure and learning conditions for young children.

Importantly, the metro has emphasised that while development charges are waived, all regulatory and safety requirements remain in force.

Applications will continue to be assessed against health, safety and planning standards, ensuring that children’s best interests are protected. The waiver is therefore positioned as an enabling measure rather than a relaxation of standards.

Monchusi has encouraged ECD practitioners, community organisations, parents and residents to take full advantage of the concession and to engage with the metro through established administrative processes.

She has underscored that the success of the intervention depends on active participation from communities and operators alike, working in partnership with the metro.

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