Infrastructure
(1) How many title deeds have been distributed to Western Cape beneficiaries of (a) free housing units and (b) social housing units between January 2021 and July 2022;
(2) whether his Department has encountered a title deed backlog during the last five years; if so, (a) what are the (i) challenges and (ii) details with regard to the status of such backlogs and (b) what actions have been taken by his Department to work with the Deeds Office to address the backlog issues?
[1][a] 8 700 transfers were accomplished by Municipalities and the Department.
[b] Social Housing units are rental units and are not for ownership.
[2] There is no new Title Deeds backlog:
- The Title Restoration Project which focusses on alleviating the backlog in outstanding transfers in older subsidized Projects Pre-2015, started with a basic fixed established backlog from Financial Years 2015/2016.
- Since 1 April 2017 a total of 39 500 units have been transferred and, as at July 2022, it leaves an outstanding figure of 54 000 on the Housing Subsidy System [HSS]. However, a large portion of HSS data still needs to be updated and this could potentially reduce the outstanding figure to 31 000.
[a)(i] The challenges and mitigating actions are incorporated in the Title Deed Action Plan [Annexure A]
[ii] The Department is still in the process of unpacking the details of the backlog and will compile a status update by 31 March 2023.
[b] The Department, through the State Attorney’s Office, has a good relationship with the Cape Town Deeds Office and we are happy with the functioning of the Cape Town Deeds Office. They have processes in place for outstanding transfers in old developments to be eligible to get fast-track handling.
