Early citizens of the east finally receive title deeds
The residents were excited to receive their title deeds and they were also given a platform to raise their concerns.
This week several Nellmapius residents who have been renting homes from the Tshwane metro for more than 20 years finally became proud homeowners.
The official handover of title deeds took place on Saturday at the local church in Nellmapius extension 1.
Wilhelmina Japhta, a resident in extension 1, said she was excited when she was told residents would finally receive the title deeds and own the homes they had been renting for so many years.
“We are the first and unfortunately the last residents of Nellmapius to receive title deeds,” she said.
“We were upset because residents who moved into the area after we had already received their title deeds while we were forced to pay rent. Now we can put this behind us.”
She said life was tough when they first arrived in Nellmapius from Eersterust because there were no schools or public transport.
“We used to walk long distances every day to Eersterust to take our children to school,” she said.
“Then Nellmapius started developing and RDP houses were built. But some residents of these houses received title deeds and we were left in the dark while being forced to continue paying rent.”
Japhta said it was tough at first because if you did not have money to pay rent the Tshwane metro could evict you.
She said close to 10 families were evicted from the houses because they could not afford the rent.
In 2016, local ward councillor Thabo Ntlatleng questioned the Tshwane metro about residents paying rent and demanded residents be given title deeds.
Ntlatleng said he noticed back then that residents were still paying rent.
“I was surprised that residents were still paying rent while other neighbouring areas in Nellmapius had title deeds.
“We approached Tshwane metro and started with the process of transferring houses to their names.”
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