Case Study: South Africa’s Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) secures land tenure with what3words

words to secure land tenure with South Africa’s Department of Rural Development

what3words partnered with South Africa’s Department of Rural Development and Land Reform (DRDLR) during the “One Household, One Hectare” programme, which allocates one-hectare plots to needy households. The challenge was how to describe and locate parcels in rural areas with no street addresses—landmarks are imprecise and latitude/longitude coordinates are unwieldy and error‑prone.

DRDLR piloted what3words’ 3‑word addressing system — a global grid of 3 m x 3 m squares, each with a unique three‑word label — and added these addresses to land certificates. The solution is easy to remember, works offline, integrates with GPS, reduces transcription errors, and enables beneficiaries and officials to reliably identify, communicate and navigate to plots, improving program administration and land‑tenure security.

Rural Development and Land Reform

Guile Nkwinti

Minister