Development Action Group

Community leaders in the classroom. Students in the community. 🏛🎓

In June, students in the University of Cape Town’s Social Infrastructures course, co-developed with DAG, stepped beyond the lecture theatre and into communities across Cape Town. Hearing directly from community leaders highlighted the power of community-led solutions and the importance of built environment professionals partnering with communities rather than designing solutions without them.

The site visits included Cissie Gool House in Woodstock; Firgrove; the RR Section in Site B, Khayelitsha; Delft; the Bellville South Residents Association; Kuils River; and the Winnie Madikizela informal settlement in Philippi.

Each site offered a unique lesson. In Winnie Madikizela, students saw a community which had built its own social infrastructure, churches, halls, and shared spaces, along with a strong sense of harmony and belonging. In the RR Section, led by Community Facilitator Eddie Nogwaxa, a student noted that although they had visited informal settlements before, they had not recognised the existing community frameworks that keep services running. Community leaders expressed hope that these students will remember the RR Section when they work in the private sector or government.

At the Bellville South Residents Association, students discussed densification and the limited availability of affordable housing. They were also impressed by the urban agricultural garden at Bellville South High School, where a neglected piece of land became a thriving community initiative. “Sometimes you just need to start, and opportunities will open up to take you to the next level,” one student observed.

We are deeply grateful to our community partners for teaching future built environment professionals what it means to develop solutions that truly serve and support communities. This knowledge, gained in classrooms and on the ground, cannot be found in a textbook.

🔗 dag.org.za

🎓 21 Developers. Real Projects. Big Impact.

On the 6th of June, 21 small-scale developers graduated from DAG’s Developer Training Programme, marking a major step in their journey from learning to delivery.

At their graduation ceremony, participants pitched real development proposals to a panel of industry leaders, demonstrating their ability to take projects from concept through to feasibility. From site selection and design to market demand, compliance, costing, and long-term management, these weren’t just ideas, but viable projects in the making.

This matters. Small-scale developers continue to play a critical role in expanding affordable rental housing in townships, unlocking access to housing, creating jobs, and strengthening local economies.

Since 2017, DAG’s Contractor and Developer Academy (CDA) has helped equip emerging developers with these capabilities, supporting more inclusive, locally rooted housing delivery.