The issuing of title deeds has brought relief to residents of Ngwathe Municipality in Parys, Free State. Hundreds of residents were provided with title deeds by the Nedbank group in partnership with the Free Market Foundation, a subsidiary of Khaya Lam Land Reform Project.
One of the recipients, Simon Mokoena, welcomed the gesture, saying he was no longer afraid that his house could be taken away from him.
“Finally I know this house belongs to me. I was afraid I might lose it because I was not sure it was under my name. The other day I received a letter and gave it to my children who told me that I would receive a title deed,” said Mokoena, 68.
He added that he had been living in his low-cost house since 2014 without having a right to extend it.
“Because it’s a two-room house I will have to extend it. We have been living in it with discomfort with my two children. I am old, I might die soon but at least I will leave my children with something when I die.”
Mmadikeledi Mohono, said her parents, from whom she had inherited the house, would now rest in peace. The 64-year-old said they died before receiving full ownership.
“As a first born I am happy that finally I got ownership of my parents’ house. I know my sister will look after it when I die. I am relieved because my fight against the municipality is over. I have been fighting these people (municipality) to give me ownership of my parents’ house,” she said.
Meanwhile, head of customer relations at Nedbank Home Loans, Thozama Mochodibane, said many houses in Ngwathe municipality were not registered under residents’ names.
She said there was a need for the initiative to speed up the process of handing out title deeds as some residents had extended the houses without authorisation.
“Property ownership is a vital cornerstone of personal well-being and wealth creation. By partnering with Khaya Lam we enable more South Africans to legally take ownership of homes they are renting from councils,” said Mochodibane.
Free Market Foundation executive director Leon Louw said: “Black land deprivation was probably the single worst element of the colonial and apartheid eras and little has changed since 1994. We estimate that between 5 and 7 million black families still live without a ownership rights in houses they have lived in for generations.”