In a bid to ensure full proper ownership, Dipaliseng Local Municipality Executive Mayor, Cllr Khethiwe Moeketsi, issued nearly 100 title deeds to deserving housing beneficiaries at Ridgeview, Siyathemba Township, Mpumalanga . This is part of government’s efforts to accelerate the roll-out of title deeds and guarantee securing of tenure to government subsidised housing beneficiaries. Most of the beneficiaries were relocated from an informal settlement to nearby habitable environment.
Speaking to the beneficiaries, Mayor Moeketsi encouraged the home owners to keep their title deeds in a safe place as it is cumbersome and costly to replace lost title deeds. “It is important that this valuable document remains in your family’s possession for generations to come, and you know where you have filed it”, she advised. She further explained that today’s, handover of title deeds is yet another important moment for the municipality as it partakes in the Title Deeds Friday Campaign, which will continue as per the Minister’s direction.
Community members were elated to finally receive their title deeds from the municipality. One of the beneficiaries, Mkhulu Josias Motloung (89) said, he was happy to finally receive the legal document which confirmed that he is the rightful owner of the house his occupying. “My wife would have been very happy to receive the title deed as we nearly lost our house to someone who had occupied it illegally. I am so grateful to our government”, said Mkhulu Motloung.
Sharing the same sentiment, Gogo Ntombinkulu Dlangalala (82) expressed her gratitude to the municipality for relocating them from the informal settlement which they were staying. “We were so resistance to move to Ridgeview for a better life, but look today we are officially home owners with title deeds” appreciated Gogo Dlangalala. Gogo Dlangalala pleaded with government to build more houses on the nearby open field before land invaders built shacks.
Executive Mayor Moeketsi further made a call to beneficiaries to prevent the illegal sale of government subsidised homes and said the municipality is working tirelessly to break the cycle of intergenerational poverty. “We are not just handing over title deeds but breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty. This is a life changer for children and grandchildren and the number one hurdle in fighting the housing backlog is people selling government subsidised houses”, she elucidated. She concluded by appealing to residents who are residing in older housing projects to approach the municipality for assistance with registration of their title deeds. The roll-out of the Title Deeds Friday Campaign continues across the province.
ISSUED BY THE COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTORATE
MPUMALANGA DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SETTLEMENTS
CONTACT: FREDDY NGOBE – 013 766 6014 / 082 859 4630/ flngobe@mpg.gov.za