Beneficiaries of RDP houses remain in the poverty trap because the Eastern Cape Department of Housing is too slack and inefficient to issue title deeds for the properties.
If a person does not have a title deed he is denied the opportunity to access monetary liquidity through the value of their property with a bank. They therefore cannot escape their circumstances.
In response to a legislature question by myself in this regard to the MEC for Housing, Helen Sauls-August, I was informed that a title deed audit of 157 814 properties had been undertaken in the province. However, the MEC fails to inform the public of the results of the audit. MEC Sauls-August added that “a detailed presentation has not been made [to the Portfolio Committee] as the project was not finalised at the time”. She also indicates that no further audits will be done because the department does not have the financial- and human resources to complete the job. For the reply from the MEC, click here:
This is just another example of the uncaring nature of the ANC-led administration in the Eastern Cape.
At Cintsa East 85 families are planning legal action against the department after years of unrewarded waiting for their title deeds.
The department cannot afford the embarrassment of another court humiliation because it cannot deliver on its mandate.
There are thousands of other cases in the province where RDP beneficiaries have no title deeds, such as the residents of Sea Vista in the Kouga Municipality.
This is a serious problem.
I have written to the MEC asking about the Cintsa matter and when this community will receive their title deeds. For my questions, click here:
Where the DA governs they govern better!
In Cape Town a process is underway to engage service providers to deal directly with the Deeds Office to fast-track this process.
In addition, when the DA took control as the governing party in Cape Town after the 2006 elections, they merged seven housing waiting lists to one list. This had lead to a transparent and fair housing allocation process, awarding houses to those who have waited the longest on the list.
When the DA governs the Nelson Mandela Metro after the upcoming municipal elections, a process similar to that in Cape Town will be implemented to fast track title deed delivery to all the people.