MEC for Transport and Human Settlements Siboniso Duma handed over title deeds to residents in KwaMashu this week. Picture: Supplied
Christmas came early for residents in KwaZulu-Natal who received title deeds to their homes.
The Department of Human Settlement said they were accelerating the rollout of title deeds to ensure that ordinary members of society have full ownership of houses built by their government.
“We will be criss-crossing the province handing over title deeds as Christmas Gifts that many people have been waiting for,” said Department spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya.
This week, residents of Ntuzuma H received title deeds.
The Department said they aimed to deliver 2,885 title deeds before March 31, 2025.
They said some of the title deeds date back to 1994.
“Affirming the security of tenure or the proof of ownership is not only liberating but ensures that ordinary members of society become the beneficiaries of this democracy.”
He said many people were not allowed to own property.
“They settled in underdeveloped townships such as Umlazi, Lamontville, KwaMashu and Hammarsdale only as temporary residents. They were not allowed to own properties.
“They only qualified to rent and others to have single bed in hostels such as Glebelands, Wema Seventeen in Umlazi and many more others. As the department of human settlements, we are here to change all of that.”
A year ago about 602 families of Msunduzi Local Municipality living in the greater Edendale Area received their title deeds.
At the time the Department said that the provincial title deeds backlog is estimated at more than 123,000 housing properties, for both pre and post-1994 housing stock.
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