Title deed ownership for housing beneficiaries in Eastern Cape

The following is an extract from a statement issued by Dacre Haddon (MPL), provincial spokesperson on housing, 7 December 2011:

"The annual- and financial oversight reports of the Department of Local Government was debated in the Eastern Cape Provincial Legislature this afternoon.

According to an article in Financial Mail, the number of housing beneficiaries without title deeds is a major concern.

The article states that the low transfer rates of subsidised homes can be blamed on flawed administration processes which in turn delay the flow of subsidy funds from provincial housing departments to developers.

It is pointless for a housing beneficiary to receive a house but no title deed to prove ownership.

I have asked the MEC for Human Settlements, Helen Sauls-August, to inform the legislature when she replies to her department’s 2010/11 annual report, to inform us about future plans and how this process can be fast tracked.

Next year I will be specifically focussing on this issue and asking for regular progress reports at portfolio committee meetings and community outreaches.

This is a serious issue and the province cannot fail the people on this matter."