Question NW3448 to the Minister of Human Settlements

Reply:

(1) The City of Tshwane has confirmed its commitment to ensure that residents in Block S, Mabopane are issued with title deeds, for properties purchased from the former Bophuthatswana administration. In order to facilitate the handover of title deeds for Mabopane Block S, the City of Tshwane, with the support of the North West Housing Corporation (NWHC) has established the account balances of the properties concerned, and in so doing, ensured that account statements were hand delivered to the respective purchasers.

The account balances are required in order that clearance certificates can be issued based on the settlement of any outstanding balances or arrangements to that effect. Once the necessary administrative processes are completed, the residents will be informed accordingly and title deeds issued.

(2) (a) There are currently two types of properties in the Mabopane block S area. The old stock defined as pre-1994 housing and new stock defined as post-1994 housing. All the properties classified as old stock will be transferred and issued title deeds free of charge to residents.

The transfer of the majority of the Mabopane Block S Properties that form part of the new stock portfolio will only be effected as and when the purchasers’ settle the outstanding balance of the purchase price with the North West Housing Corporation (NWHC).

This has been communicated to residents in the sale and offer to purchase agreement which categorically states that: “the Purchaser agrees and shall be liable for all transfer costs in respect of the property being purchased and the purchaser is liable for the conveyancing fees prior to the registration process, after which, a title deed will be released to the purchaser.”

(b) On the 1st of November 2015 the NWHC will begin the process of regularisation of the properties within the City of Tshwane and the process is expected to be concluded on March 2016. However exact frames cannot be guaranteed as transfer of properties will be dependent on whether the purchasers has fully complied with the terms of agreement in respect of the instalment sale agreement.

To date, there are 39 fully paid properties in Mabopane Unit S, 100 in Mabopane Unit U, 71 in Mabopane Unit X. A firm of conveyancers, Koikanyang Incorporated has been appointed to transfer all fully paid properties into the names of the purchasers subject to the purchasers settling the necessary conveyancing fees.

(3) As indicated in 2 above and as far as the Mabopane Block S new stock houses are concerned; residents are still servicing the balances on their purchase prices. The North West Housing Corporation has since written letters to those who have settled their purchase price balances advising them of such and the documents that need to be submitted for the transfer of properties to be initiated. It must be noted that the purchaser is liable for the conveyancing fees prior to the registration process, after which, a title deed will be released to the purchaser. 

The City of Tshwane Human Settlements Department is being assisted by the City Group Legal Counsel Division to establish a process to investigate and apply urgent remedial action on the speedy opening of the outstanding township registers, where possible. The City has also sought, through its MMC: Housing and Human Settlements, to escalate the matter to the MEC: Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison Department: North West Provincial Government and the MEC: Gauteng Department of Human Settlements for in ensuring the existing administrative delays are removed to allow for the transfers to take place and title deeds issued.