The following speech was delivered by the Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille, at a title deed handover event at the Bellville Civic Centre on Thursday, 21 June 2018.
It is my pleasure to be here today as we celebrate a wonderful milestone for many of you who have waited so long for this day.
I am very pleased that we are handing over more than 100 title deeds to residents from a great mix of areas.
Today is a firm demonstration of our commitment to build a caring and inclusive city where everyone feels like this is home and where they belong.
We are going to make it official for all of you who will now be homeowners.
I am happy that we can finally give people this proof of ownership as most of you have waited many years, far too long in fact.
Maria Saal, 71 years old, has been living in the house in Elsies River since 1993 and Mama Lucy Sokhela, 93 years old from Gugulethu, has waited 35 years for the house to be hers.
The handing over of title deeds is a big step for the City and for you.
For the City, we are redressing the imbalances of the past where, under apartheid, people were denied ownership of properly and land.
It is our job to make sure that more people taste the fruits of our democracy by reversing the legacy of apartheid and giving people rights to tenure.
Handing over the title deed is not just about you receiving a piece of paper.
These occasions are very special to me because it is a symbol of victory against our unjust past.
This day also means that from now on you have an asset that you can keep in your family for decades to come. You have a home to call your own.
I want to encourage all of you who are receiving your deeds today to make sure that you update your will or draw up one so that you have it in writing who you are passing this home onto when you are no longer here one day.
Since last year the City has ramped up the process of handing title deeds to residents so that the homes can officially be theirs.
In the 2016/17 financial year, the City handed 1 182 title deeds to residents in historical housing projects and 760 title deeds to residents living in Council saleable rental stock.
For the current 2017/18 financial year, we have issued more than 4 330 title deeds to residents across the City in Mitchells Plain, Pelican Park, Wallacedene, Athlone, Bonteheuwel and many other areas.
This is a continuation of the work we started during the 2011 – 2016 term of office when more than 11 000 title deeds were issued to residents.
The City’s work in this important redress project ensures that residents are confirmed as the rightful property owners.
Today we are handing over title deeds to residents from Matroosfontein, Manenberg, Elsies River, Bishop Lavis, Uitsig, Nyanga, Guglethu and Goodwood to name a few.
We wish you all many happy years in your homes. Please take care of it.
Thank you, baie dankie, enkosi, shukran and God bless.