Every day, City of Johannesburg employees work tirelessly behind the scenes to improve the lives of residents. While many of these achievements go unnoticed, some innovations deserve to be celebrated because they fundamentally change the way we serve communities. One such achievement is the recent implementation of Operation Go Green: Transforming Land Use Digitally for Tomorrow, a groundbreaking digital transformation initiative developed by a passionate team of officials within the Development Planning: Land Use Development Management (LUDM) Directorate.
The initiative was officially launched by Member of Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning, Cllr Eunice Mgcina in July 2026 following approval by the Director of Land Use Development Management, Nokuthula Thusi, and Executive Director Eric Raboshakga.
The team members include, Mpho Makutsoane, Dean Charles Gibb, Koketso Neil Litlhakanyane, Bandile N. Zungu, Edward N. Munyai, Glenford Hlongwane, Kerileng Daniels, Ridwan Mahomed, Lara Labuschagne, Sipho Malatji, Lee-Anne McKenzie, Nompumelelo Majola, Phumeza Bangani and Danielle Vingtas.
Operation Go Green represents a bold vision to modernise land development administration by transitioning the Directorate from traditional paper-based processes to a fully digital environment. The project seeks to eliminate operational inefficiencies, enhance transparency, promote environmental sustainability and create the digital backbone that will support the future Town Planning Administration System (TAS).
For years, applicants and officials faced common frustrations, lost files, misplaced documents, lengthy queues, excessive printing costs, storage challenges and time-consuming manual processes. Rather than accept these challenges as the norm, a dedicated team of LUDM officials envisioned a smarter, faster and greener way of working.
Sipho Malatji, Senior Specialist Town Planner: Development Planning, LUDM, says the journey towards Operation Go Green started in 2024.
“What started as an idea to eliminate paper-based processes gradually evolved into a comprehensive digital transformation initiative. Over the next two years, the team dedicated countless hours to conceptualising, designing, testing and refining the platform while continuing to fulfil their day-to-day responsibilities.
“Their perseverance, innovation and commitment ultimately culminated in the successful launch of Operation Go Green by the MMC for Development Planning on 13 July 2026," says Malatji.
“Since then, more than 1 000 online land development applications have already been successfully received through the platform."
“Continuous monitoring has shown that the average application submission takes less than six minutes, regardless of the complexity of the application. What previously required travelling to municipal offices, standing in queues and submitting bulky paper files can now be completed in just a few minutes from the comfort of one's home or office," Malatji adds.
Behind every successful innovation is a committed team of people who believe that public service can always be improved.
Written by Staff Writer: Development Planning
11/09/2026
Recommended for you:
City's Rowena Makgalemele a leader in risk management and community empowerment
City's Londiwe Mthabela remains an equality activist at heart
Weltevreden Park Library honours women with motivational session
JDA celebrates women leading Johannesburg's transport infrastructure transformation
To stay informed about the latest developments in the city, connect with us at:
X: @CityofJoburgZA
Facebook: City of Joburg
Instagram: @CityofJoburg
TikTok: @CityofJoburg
LinkedIn: City of Johannesburg
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@CityOfJoburgZA/videos
