A total of 20-80% of land delivery in developing countries is informal and, therefore, does not conform to the legal cadastral system and land use controls. Local land administrators need to be introduced to create viable urban management and land registration systems. Such land administrators, guided by professionals in the land industry, should adapt existing regulatory frameworks and make land registration systems accessible to the urban poor. The range of roles of such an administrator, as well as their training, is examined. Finally, a case study from Namibia is presented. This illustrates that a land administrator, with legal and geographic knowledge, as well as conflict management and public administration skills, can increase formality and limit informality. Keywords: land administration, southern Africa, land use controls, land tenure, informal settlement, urban land delivery.