The people of Chatty in Nelson Mandela Bay have expressed their gratitude to the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality for what they described as “a restorative mission” after receiving title deeds for the first time in their lives. Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Thembinkosi Mafana, brought more than 150 title deeds for handover.
The beneficiaries are recipients of government-subsidised houses. Among them was 80-year-old Renie Vena, who became emotional as she spoke about what she called the restoration of her dignity. Vena received a title deed for the first time in her life, having lived in rental and informal dwellings throughout her years, including during the apartheid era when black people were prohibited from owning property. “My dignity has been restored. For the first time in my life, I can say I have a property in my name. I am so emotional because we have come a long way as a people. This is a day I will never forget for the remaining years of my life,” said Vena. The title deed handover forms part of a campaign launched by the Ministry of Human Settlements two years ago. The campaign, called Title Deeds Fridays, urges all municipalities to implement weekly handovers to beneficiaries, with Fridays designated as the preferred day.
Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality Executive Mayor, Cllr Babalwa Lobishe said the Municipality has responded to the national call of action to restore people’s dignity. “This is not just a document for our people, it is a confirmation of ownership, something that has been denied to them. We are calling on those who have not yet received their title and those who might have missed us when we come to your areas to visit the Human Settlements offices near you, both in Kariega Town Hall and Lilian Diedericks building in Govan Mbeki Avenue to check their title deeds,” EM Lobishe added.
Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Councillor Thembinkosi Mafana, said the programme is part of national government’s efforts to ensure that title deeds are delivered to their rightful owners. He said the Municipality is focused on reducing the backlog of unissued title deeds. “We understand the importance of this programme within our restorative agenda. Wehave made it clear to officials that every week beneficiaries must receive title deeds. These include people who have never received any document of property ownership—some as old as 90 years,” said Councillor Mafana.
