Madikizela promises to deliver at least 3,000 RDP title deeds

Newly-appointed human settlements MEC Babalo Madikizela has promised to deliver at least 3,000 title deeds to RDP house beneficiaries by March.

In an interview with the Daily Dispatch, Madikizela said the department was doing its best to meet targets before the end of the financial year.

The department has in recent years come under heavy criticism because of the delay in handing out title deeds to beneficiaries. It has only managed to give 500 beneficiaries the important document.

According to a report by human settlements portfolio committee chair Mary NdlangisaMakaula last month, 9,000 title deeds were meant to be delivered in this financial year.

“We are trying our best. “You have areas where title deeds can’t be issued because some sites are owing rates so there is a lot of paperwork,” Madikizela said.

“Before the financial year, we will have delivered.

“We are targeting 100% of title deeds that are due to people.”

Human settlements has also been the subject of many service delivery protests that often turned violent as thousands of people demanded RDP houses.

In contrast to Madikizela’s promise, the portfolio committee for human settlements’ report states that the department will not be able to transfer the targeted 9,000 by the end of the financial year. This is due to delays in the appointment of conveyancers.