City of Ekurhuleni (CoE) handed over title deeds to five Tembisa residents following a long wait to be rightful owners of the property they live on.
Many homeowners gathered at Sam Hlalele Hall on June 8 hoping to finally receive title deed documents they have begged for for most of their lives.
MMC Clr Vivian Chauke gave title deeds to residents of Wards 10, 11 and 12 who have waited for the documents for more than 40 years.
Chauke said the city is aware that some of the homes are occupied by children and grandchildren who are heirs of the property owners.
“We have made sure that if there are more people who are living in the house as heirs, the house will be registered as a family home.
“We have even taught grandchildren what procedure to follow and also made them aware of the importance of a title deed,” said Chauke.
She said beneficiaries had to know that if one of the family members sells the title deed they will unknowingly stay in a house that is already sold.
Chauke said it is very important that the beneficiaries take extra care in protecting the document, especially the elderly people.
“If the elderly people feel they need to pass on the property to the family due to deteriorating health, they must call the whole family into a meeting and explain that the house will remain a family house,” said Chauke.
CoE’s divisional head in customer relations Goodness Nhlapho said there are 219 title deeds remaining and residents are advised to collect them at CoE’s Kempton Park offices.
Nhlapho said the handing over of title deeds is an on-going process despite concerns raised at the handing over where other residents were not happy they did not receive their title deeds.
“As the CoE we told them that a team of attorneys has been appointed and the city will organise izimbizo (community meetings).
“Residents will, therefore, have to attend those izimbizo.
“They will have to bring their ID copies and proof of residence to register so that at the end of the programme every homeowner in the entire Ekurhuleni has got a title deed,” said Nhlapho.
A beneficiary, Anna Koeteng, said she now has a four-room house and a title deed, she further said that she was thankful to the mayor and the municipality.
Spokesperson for the City of Ekurhuleni Themba Gadebe said people who want to collect title deeds on behalf of deceased registered property owners must be:
• an appointed heir and/or executor of the will of the deceased.
• in possession of a letter of appointment/authority issued by the Magistrate’s Office or the Master of the High Court.
• in possession of their ID and a death certificate of the deceased.
“The CoE’s MMC for Community Safety Clr Vivian Chauke congratulated all recipients of title deeds,” said Gadebe.
