West Cape News

Peter Luhanga

A Blaauwberg subcouncil field worker has been suspended for allegedly selling title deeds, which are meant to be free, to the occupants of RDP houses in Du Noon.

Thousands of RDP houses have been built in Du Noon township near Cape Town since 1996, but the ownership of the houses is often hotly disputed.

Beneficiaries are supposed to get free title deeds, but these were not always issued when the houses were built.

This led to the Blaauwberg subcouncil, under which Du Noon falls, launching a programme to issue title deeds to the rightful owners.

But now the programme has been set back after allegations that a field worker was selling the title deeds for between R2,500 to R10,000.

The subcouncil has suspended the worker and launched an investigation into the alleged scam.

Malvern Cupido, City of Cape Town Housing Project Manager for the Northern Region, under which the Blaauwberg region falls, said about ten title deeds were allegedly sold.

Cupido would not disclose the name of the field worker.

“The city has instituted an investigation, we are waiting for a report and then we can take legal action.”

He said the issue was complicated by the difficulty of establishing who the original owners of some RDP houses were, as houses were rented out and then sub-let.

This meant there could often be many “landlords” and the original owner was difficult to find.

If a person living in an RDP house acquired a title deed improperly, it was difficult for the real owner to come back and prove that they owned the house.

Cupido said the Housing Act 107 of 1997 stipulated that an approved beneficiary should get a title deed. But title deeds had not always been processed.

Cupido said 2,266 RDP houses had been built in Du Noon since 1996.

The issue was discussed at a Blaauwberg subcouncil meeting on 19 February.

ANC councillor Peace Stemela said RDP house owners in Du Noon had previously approached him claiming they were being sold title deeds.

Blaauwberg Subcouncil Chair Vincent Bergh said it was important for residents in RDP houses to know that title deeds were free.

“People must understand that they must not buy property from anyone unless they produce a valid title deed,” Bergh said. — West Cape News