Gogo Sealanyane receives a title deed in the comfort of her own home

Gauteng MEC for human settlements Dikgang Moiloa personally delivered a title deed to 77-year-old Gogo Masetshedi Lydia Sealanyane in the Savanna City Mega Human Settlement project, Sedibeng.

Moiloa handed over more than 1 300 title deeds to beneficiaries in the development. Gogo Sealanyane said that she is very excited to receive her title deed while she is still alive.

“Many people died in shack fires before getting their houses. I am very fortunate to get my house and very quickly get my title deed. I never thought that life would be so nice while I was still staying in Everton informal settlement” said Sealanyane.

Speaking at Savanna City at the title deeds hand-over ceremony, Moiloa said the issuing of title deeds forms part of government’s programme “Title Deeds Friday” as pronounced by Gauteng premier David Makhura, to restore the dignity of the previously disadvantaged by giving them proof of ownership.

Moiloa said that the apartheid regime denied black people a chance to own land and properties, which is the reason this government is giving them the right to a house and land ownership. The MEC told the beneficiaries that a title deed will ensure that no one can come and claim their stands or houses; it is proof of ownership to their properties.

“As we walk this journey to develop communities, mistakes will happen, but that does not mean we must forget where we come from. The land of our forefathers was forcefully taken by the apartheid regime. Today we are allocating title deeds to give you security of tenure and a lifetime investment,” said Moiloa.

The MEC further said that he is aware that Savanna City is not electrified and that the electrification of the township is the responsibility of Midvaal local municipality. “I have met with the department of energy to raise the issue of Savanna City’s electrification and they have committed to start the process in the next financial year, which starts in April 2019,” said Moiloa.

He said that he will be meeting with the mayor of Emfuleni, Bongani Baloyi, to discuss the plans for electrification. “What happened in Savanna City should not happen anywhere again. We had to allocate beneficiaries to avoid illegal invasion of houses by people who I trusted would help resolve the misunderstanding, only to find out that they were behind the invasion,” said the MEC.

Moiloa said that the weekly distribution of title deeds would include the elderly, child-headed homes, people with disabilities and military veterans.