Environmental Law

A Legacy of Excellence, A Commitment to the Future.

Founded in 1982 by Jan Swart and Rademeyer Stadler, Stadler & Swart Attorneys Inc. has always stood for professionalism, expertise, and a deep understanding of property law. Both founders set the standard for excellence in South African legal practice, with Jan Swart recognised as one of the foremost authorities in water law and land use law. Their legacy continues to guide our work today, inspiring us to uphold the same high standards of service, knowledge, and dedication.

As development and environmental regulations have grown more complex, our firm has remained at the forefront, expanding our expertise to meet the evolving needs of property owners and developers. Today, we carry forward the vision of our founders by combining legal excellence with a progressive, solutions-driven approach to environmental law.

The Importance of Environmental Law

In today’s property landscape, environmental law is central to successful development. Navigating the requirements of the National Environmental Management Act and related legislation is not only a matter of compliance but a safeguard against delays, risks, and costly setbacks. For property owners and developers, early legal intervention can mean the difference between a stalled project and a successful one.

At Stadler & Swart Attorneys, our dedicated environmental law team is passionate about providing clear, specialist advice. We are here to ensure that your project is both legally sound and environmentally responsible, protecting your investment while aligning with regulatory requirements.

Our Environmental Law Services

We provide a full range of conveyancing services tailored to meet the needs of private clients, developers, and investors, including:

Strategic Environmental Assessments
Evaluating broad-scale impacts to ensure projects are properly aligned with environmental objectives.
Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)
Determining whether environmental authorisation is required and guiding you through the process.
Interpretation of Listed Activities
Clarifying obligations under Section 24 of the National Environmental Management Act.
Compliance Audits
Identifying potential risks and ensuring full adherence to environmental legislation.
Monitoring and Reviews
Conducting audits of environmental applications and reports, providing reliable oversight throughout the process.

A Trusted Partner in Environmental Compliance

For more than four decades, our firm has stood beside developers, estate agents, and property owners in the Garden Route, Western Cape, and beyond. With heritage in property law and expertise in environmental law, we offer more than compliance advice — we provide strategic insight, helping our clients minimise risks, strengthen applications, and move projects forward with confidence.

Experience you trust. Progress you can count on.

Why Developers Choose Stadler & Swart

At Stadler & Swart, we pride ourselves on:

Depth of specialist experience: André Swart has been practising as an attorney and conveyancer since 1992, holds an LLM specialising in planning and environmental law, and has decades of experience in property, planning, environmental and water law.

Proven track‑record in development matters: The firm’s history includes acting for prominent developers, large‑scale sectional‑title schemes and complex multi‑discipline projects.

Strategic, integrated advice: Not simply regulatory “check‑boxes” but advice targeted to your business objectives: unlocking development value, avoiding delays and aligning approvals, energy strategy and conveyancing.

Local knowledge and networks: Deep experience with municipalities, land‑use tribunals, environmental regulation and property transfers in the Garden Route, Cape Town and broader Western Cape.

Conveyancing: Our friendly team of conveyancing paralegals are seasoned professionals with years of experience. They are dedicated to guiding clients through every step of the process with clarity and care. Stadler & Swart Attorneys is also proudly represented on the conveyancing panels of major financial institutions, including ABSA Bank, Standard Bank, Nedbank, Investec, FNB, and SA Home Loans.

  • Stadler & Swart Inc have been our development attorneys over many years, and they have demonstrated their expertise not only in respect of property, land use and environmental law, but also in providing high quality conveyancing services. They attend to all our conveyancing needs at Paradise Coast which includes the drafting of all contracts. If you need to keep any property lawyer close to you, this is the firm to associate with.

    G A van Rensburg, Managing Director, Nuvest (Pty) Ltd

  • Stadler & Swart Inc and specifically Mr. André Swart represents the Devonbosch Development, Stellenbosch. In our experience, Mr. Swart and his team have demonstrated their complete professionalism and high competency in understanding our case and guiding us strategically through all the legal options available to us. Mr. Swart and his colleagues have always ensured their availability for consultation and we have provided the best possible level of service.

    Pieter van der Westhuizen, Development Manager, Devonbosch, Stellenbosch

  • Stadler & Swart Inc have been the development attorneys for the Groenkloof Retirement Village Group since the Group's inception in 2003. They have provided expert assistance in obtaining the development rights and environmental approvals and have executed excellent conveyancing services for our developments. Stadler & Swart Inc's contribution to a development such as ours has proven invaluable and we proudly associate with them.

    Jan Pienaar, Managing Director, Groenkloof Retirement Village Group

  • Stadler & Swart Attorneys are a highly respected property law specialist firm and render land use and environmental law advice of an exceptional quality. I have worked with them over many years in respect of matters in the Garden Route as well as in the Stellenbosch area and they have consistently proven themselves experts in the fields they specialise in.

    Hendrik Kotze, Director, Werksmans Inc.

  • In my capacity as a practicing member of the Cape Bar, I have over the past 15 years been regularly briefed by Mr Andre Swart, as well as by certain of his associates, in a range of planning, environmental and general property matters. Many of these matters have been complex and demanding. I regard Mr Swart as being one of the most experienced and competent attorneys with whom I have worked over the past 35 years, in what are highly specialised fields in which he practices. I can think of few, if any, property lawyers better equipped than Mr Swart to render specialised legal services to property owners, property developers and others operating in this field, particularly where one is dealing with large developments requiring high planning, property and environmental expertise.

    Adv Sean Rosenberg SC

  • Stadler & Swart Attorneys Inc have advised our group of companies in a number of complex property matters. Their specialist knowledge and experience have been of huge value to us.

    Arno de Vos, Director, Cape Estates

  • I have worked with Andre Swart of Stadler & Swart Inc for several years and can attest professionalism, knowledge and experience, in particular in respect of matters relating to property, planning and environmental law.

    David Hertz, Chairman of Werksmans Attorneys

  • Stadler & Swart Attorneys Inc have advised our group of companies in a number of complex property matters. Their specialist knowledge and experience have been of huge value to us.

    Arno de Vos, Director, Cape Estates

  • Stadler & Swart Attorneys have advised the Atterbury Group of Companies over many years and their specialist knowledge and experience in the fields of property development and environmental law is invaluable. If you get involved in a complex or challenging property transaction, I would strongly recommend them.

    Louis van der Wast, Atterbury Group CEO