Ekurhuleni publishes one of the clearest lists in the country of what does and does not need building plan approval, gives approved plans a 12-month shelf life, and is the big metro where much of the solar work runs through Eskom rather than the municipality, because significant parts of the East Rand are Eskom-supplied. That last point changes who signs off your installations.
What needs plan approval
Ekurhuleni enforces the National Building Regulations under the National Building Regulations and Building Standards Act (Act 103 of 1977), and its Building Control FAQ is refreshingly explicit. Always requiring approval: new buildings, extensions, loft conversions, garage conversions, internal alterations, carports and conservatories. Like-for-like roof tile replacement does not require approval, but a change in material type may. And the East Rand quirk to memorise: all drainage work requires an application.
The metro's building control pages carry the FAQ, and application forms (including form OM046, the occupancy certificate application) are at the metro's building control forms page.
Plan validity and occupancy
Two administrative rules catch contractors here:
- Approved plans are valid for 12 months from the date of approval. A 6-month written extension may be applied for. If the client sits on a project for a year, the approval lapses and you resubmit.
- An occupancy certificate (form OM046) must be applied for on completion. Build it into the handover checklist.
Applications are submitted at the relevant Customer Care Area (CCA), so identify your CCA before you lodge anything.
SSEG and solar: mostly an Eskom story
Significant parts of Ekurhuleni are Eskom-supplied, which means Eskom's SSEG registration applies rather than a metro process in many areas. For Eskom customers, registration runs at connect.eskom.co.za. For areas the metro supplies directly, follow Ekurhuleni's embedded generation application process via the relevant CCA.
The supply split matters for two reasons. First, sign-off: since 1 October 2025, on Eskom networks, a DEL-registered person (excluding single-phase testers) may sign off residential systems, no ECSA engineer needed, which keeps costs down compared with metros that still require one. Second, money: Eskom is waiving registration, connection and smart-meter fees for systems up to 50 kVA until 30 September 2026, the same date as the national registration deadline. For Eskom-supplied clients in Ekurhuleni, registering before that date is materially cheaper. Always confirm who supplies the specific property before quoting; the answer determines the process, the sign-off and the cost.
Worked example: the garage conversion
A client in the metro wants a garage converted to a flatlet with a new bathroom. The compliant route: building plan approval first, because garage conversions are explicitly on the always-approve list; a drainage application for the new bathroom, regardless of scale; construction to the approved plan within the 12-month validity, with a written extension applied for if the project stalls; then the OM046 occupancy certificate application at completion. If the client adds backup power, confirm the supply authority before quoting: on an Eskom-supplied stand the registration runs through connect.eskom.co.za, the fee waiver is live until 30 September 2026, and a DEL-registered person can sign off the residential system without an engineer's fee in the quote.
Common mistakes
- Assuming the carport or conservatory is exempt. Ekurhuleni's list says approval, explicitly.
- Doing drainage work without an application. Required regardless of scale.
- Letting an approved plan expire. Twelve months goes fast on a stalled project; apply for the extension in writing before it lapses.
- Running a municipal SSEG process on an Eskom property (or vice versa). Confirm the supply authority first.
- Missing the waiver window. After 30 September 2026 the free registration ride on Eskom systems ends.
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