KwaThema – The City of Ekurhuleni handed over title deeds to more than 50 residents of KwaThema Ext 3 on September 19.

The beneficiaries, who had been waiting for years, celebrated finally receiving the official documents that secure their homeownership. Many described the moment as life-changing and expressed their gratitude to the city.

During the ceremony, officials cautioned the new homeowners against using their title deeds as collateral for short-term loans from loan sharks. They also reminded residents to safeguard the documents, as the process of reissuing a lost or damaged title deed can be costly, with fees ranging between R7 000 and R10 000.

The city further highlighted the conditions of the Housing Act 107 of 1997, which stipulates that beneficiaries of RDP houses may not sell their properties within the first eight years of occupation.

Should a resident decide to sell after this period, the government has the first option to buy back the house so it can be reallocated to others on the housing waiting list.

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