Michael Nkalane
THE City says that despite their best efforts there are many people who have not collected the title deeds to their homes.
Mayoral committee member for human settlements, Benedicta van Minnen, said many people could not be traced, or refused or neglected to correspond with the City when it came to collecting their title deeds.
On September 24 the Cape Times published the story of 80-year-old Gugulethu grandmother Nontsikelelo Mkhonto, who discovered she owned her house only after a fire had destroyed it.
She had gone to the City assuming their insurance would rebuild her home.
City officials delivered her title deed at the end of September, gave her a shack-building kit and said there was nothing more they could do.
Van Minnen said property 116, NY 43, was registered at the deeds office on December 2, 2011, in Mkhonto’s name. Van Minnen said the City had over the years urged Mkhonto to fetch the documentation.
“In addition, Mkhonto was informed that, as the house had been purchased, it would not remain on the City’s comprehensive insurance policy schedule,” she said.
Another Gugulethu resident, Mzoli Mzukwa from NY 22 number 26, suffered the same fate when his house was destroyed by fire in July. The City provided building material only last week. He also did not know he owned the house.
Van Minnen said a beneficiary became an owner through registration of the property at the Deeds Office in his/her name.
“For this to happen, a sale agreement is entered into by and between the beneficiary and the City.
“Following such registration, a title deed is issued by the Registrar of Deeds, formally confirming ownership of the relevant property into the beneficiary's name,” she explained.
Beneficiaries were notified of the status of their individual transfers directly by the City project managers, but also via project steering committees (if applicable), community meetings, local council offices and local councillors, local housing offices, field workers and house visits.
“The City is doing everything in its power to assist beneficiaries but we cannot do it alone. Over the past three years, the City has successfully transferred more than 14 000 properties to beneficiaries in older housing developments.”
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