Metro highlights housing progress as coalition government turns one
Officials say thousands of families now have legal ownership of their homes, with additional support through basic services and relocation projects citywide.
The metro’s coalition government marked its first year in office with a message of accountability, progress, and renewal.
It highlighted achievements in restoring dignity and stability to residents through the metro’s Human Settlements programme.
Speaking during the first anniversary report-back session on October 14, MMC for Human Settlements, Aaron Maluleka, shared the department’s progress in providing home ownership and improving living conditions across Tshwane.
Maluleka said that over the past year, the metro has made strides in issuing title deeds, transferring ownership to families who had waited years, in some cases decades, for legal recognition of their homes.
“Over the past year, we have advanced the handover of title deeds across all regions, including Soshanguve, Mabopane, Hammanskraal, Atteridgeville, and Olievenhoutbosch.
“To date, 3 368 title deeds have been issued, transferring rightful ownership to families who have waited far too long,” announced Maluleka.
The MMC further detailed the number of beneficiaries in each region, adding that Soshanguve recorded the highest number with 2 134 title deeds issued, followed by Mamelodi (229), Hammanskraal/Temba (216), Olievenhoutbosch (208), Winterveldt (195), Atteridgeville (120), Mabopane (80), Nellmapius (66), Ga-Rankuwa (47), Eersterust and Rethabiseng, which each saw 14 families receiving ownership documents.
While the metro celebrated these milestones, Maluleka acknowledged that numerous challenges still delayed the finalisation of older title deeds.
“Many old title deeds remain outstanding, slowed by complex issues such as unresolved estates, illegal sales, untraceable beneficiaries, and the dynamics of cross-border properties in the MAWIGA [Mabopane, Winterveldt, Ga-Rankuwa, and Akasia] area,” he said.
He said, “These are not easy obstacles, but I assure you that our department is working closely with the courts, provincial partners, and communities to unlock these backlogs. Our people deserve ownership, and we will not rest until this right is realised for all.”
Beyond title deeds, the metro has also prioritised the improvement of living conditions in informal settlements by providing rudimentary services.
Across all seven regions, the human settlements department has rolled out water tanks, basic sanitation facilities, and graded access roads to improve accessibility and hygiene.
Communities that have benefited from these initiatives include Mazambaneng, Vumaskloof, Brazzaville, Jeffsville, and Lethabong.
These interventions, Maluleka said, reflect the metro’s broader mission of inclusion, ensuring that all residents, regardless of where they live, have access to essential services.
The MMC also highlighted ongoing relocation projects aimed at moving families from unsafe and uninhabitable areas into formalised stands with basic services.
“In areas such as Pienaarspoort extensions 16, 23, 24, and 25, thousands of stands have been cleared, allocated, and provided with basic services, allowing families to move from uncertainty to stability.
“These relocations are about creating safer, liveable, and more sustainable communities,” he said.
Despite facing budget constraints and litigation over the acquisition of suitable land for housing projects, Maluleka reaffirmed the administration’s unwavering dedication to restoring dignity and stability to residents.
“Limited capital budgets slow the delivery of bulk services. Litigation over land acquisition often delays progress. But what remains constant is our commitment to dignity.
“Every title deed we issue, every family we allocate a permanent stand, and every informal settlement we service is a step towards building a city where every resident feels recognised and respected.”
He said, “Tshwane is a metro of opportunity. Through our Human Settlements Programme, we are ensuring that opportunity begins at home: a home with a title deed, a home on a serviced stand, a home that gives dignity”.
“We are not only building houses, we are building dignity, restoring trust, and giving families the security of ownership and belonging.”
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