Primary briefing · Gazette
high impact 54401 · 7290 · 2026-03-24
Gautrain Extensions: 72 km route determination triggers immediate land use and infrastructure restrictions
Effective from
24 Mar 2026
Government Notice 7290 publishes the route determination for the Soweto Extension and Cosmo City Junction of the Gauteng Rapid Rail Integrated Network (GRRIN) Extensions Project — approximately 72 km of new rail across three corridor segments (Little Falls to Jabulani, Cosmo City to Lanseria, and Cosmo City to Samrand). The determination immediately activates Section 7 regulatory measures under the Gauteng Transport Infrastructure Act, 2001. Every application for township establishment, land subdivision, land use change, or environmental authorisation within the corridor must now be accompanied by a written report from an MEC-approved consulting civil engineering firm with at least ten years' experience, and must be forwarded to the MEC. No service provider may lay, construct, alter, or add to any pipeline, electricity line, telephone line, or other structure on, over, or under the route corridor without the MEC's written permission. The MEC has 60 days to comment on forwarded applications, and municipalities must notify the MEC within 14 days of granting any application, after which the MEC has 28 days to appeal. Affected parties may request reasons for the route determination within 30 days of publication.
Who is affected
Property developers and township applicants in the route corridorLandowners along the determined route in Johannesburg, Tshwane, and West RandMunicipalities (City of Johannesburg, City of Tshwane, West Rand District)Service providers (pipelines, electricity, telecommunications)Consulting civil engineering firmsEnvironmental assessment practitionersConstruction and infrastructure contractors What this means for practitioners
Identify whether any current or planned development, subdivision, or land use change applications fall within the published route corridor segments
For any affected applications, commission a written report from an MEC-approved consulting civil engineering firm with at least ten years' experience
Ensure all affected applications are forwarded to the MEC by the municipality, relevant authority, or applicant
Service providers must obtain written MEC permission before laying, constructing, altering, or adding to any infrastructure on, over, or under the corridor
Consider requesting reasons for the MEC's route determination decision by approximately 23 April 2026 (30 days from publication) — submit by email to extensions@gautengrapidrail.co.za with subject line GRINN/SECCI