ABSTRACT
Primary responsibility for human settlements planning and management in Swaziland lies with the Ministry of Natural Resources, Land Utilization and Energy, which was formed in 1983 as part of a general re-organization of government. The Ministry is divided into a number of sections and branches, each with specific powers and responsibilities. The Physical Planning Branch has a broad mandate to plan, control and co-ordinate the development of the physical environment at national, regional and local levels. The Land Use Planning Section has responsibilities similar to those of the Physical Planning Branch, but its jurisdiction is rural. As an indication of the high priority accorded housing under the current National Development Plan, the Housing Branch and the Industrial Housing Corporation are to be combined in a National Housing Board. The Survey Branch is responsible for all governmental survey work, mapping and maintenance of the national cadastre. The Lands Department is responsible for the purchase and sale of all publicly owned land.
