Housing beneficiaries have dignity restored
16 February 2014
The wait for the restoration of dignity and giving full home ownership for scores of government’s low cost houses has finally come to an end. Over 1000 beneficiaries of RDPs are now rightful owners of their houses built few years ago. The Department of Human Settlements issued [Friday 14th February 2014] title deeds to beneficiaries from all the local municipalities of Nkomazi, Mbombela, Thaba Chweu, Bushbuckridge and Nkomazi within the Ehlanzeni District. The hand-over ceremony is a continuation of MEC Andries Gamede’s campaign to afford full property ownership to beneficiaries.
Title Deeds are important as they allow beneficiaries to access finance from financial institutions for renovations and funding for business opportunities. “Acquiring a title deed enables a beneficiary to have the house as an asset, offer sense of pride and belonging. From the municipal perspective, property ownership compels the owners to pay municipal rates and services received, thereby contributing to its ongoing financial viability and economic sustainability”, charged MEC Gamede. Beneficiaries will now be able to use their title deeds to improve their dwellings, to acquire household’s goods and make use of capital borrowing against their properties and to start small businesses.
The issuing of title deeds is to facilitate the registration in to the names of the housing beneficiaries, ensure provision of security of tenure for beneficiaries, ensure their lives are continuously and economically improved through guarantees with the title deeds and satisfy the provision of legislation to provide them to beneficiaries. In essence, their households can also be used as an asset to build wealth. “It’s a good feeling that I now own a house” - beneficiary Ms Themba (43) from Orlando near Komatipoort expressing joy as she received her title deed.
Ehlanzeni District Municipality’s Acting Mayor [on the day], Clr Johan Mavuso assured the communities that “government is ensuring that land restitution is addressed which will in turn tackle housing backlog”. The campaign which will be extended to Nkangala District will benefit households from the municipalities of eMalahleni, Steve Tshwete, Emakhazeni, and Victor Khanye municipalities later this month. The department has successfully issued more than 7000 title deeds since 2009. MEC Gamede launched the campaign at Gert Sibande District last year.
Issued by Communications Directorate
Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlements
Contact Person:
Freddy Ngobe
Tel: (013) 766 6014
Mobile: 082 859 4630
