Riverside community members become official homeowners

RIVERSANDS – Over 100 community members are now the legal owners of their RDP homes after the City handed out title deeds to recipients on 13 March.

April 3, 2020

Robyn Kirk 2 minutes read

Ward councillor Sbusiso Mthembu with Daniel Zimbiri, the first resident to be handed his title deed by MMC Mlungisi Mabaso. Photo: Robyn Kirk

It was a day filled with joy and emotion on 13 March when Riverside residents were finally handed the title deeds to their Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) houses.

The event was organised by the City of Johannesburg and hosted in Riverside View Ext 32, where nearly 500 RDP housing units had been built over the past few years. On the day, 138 residents from Phase 1 were handed title deeds to their homes, which they began occupying in late 2017.

Joanne Atkin, who works for the City of Johannesburg in Region A, helps Matseliso Jonkoro stand up after Jonkoro signed the official deed to her house. *Photo: Robyn Kirk*

Sbusiso Mthembu, councillor for Ward 96 (which covers the Riverside area), MMC for the Housing Department Mlungisi Mabaso and acting executive director for housing Patrick Phophi were among the officials who presided over the handover.

During the official event, 10 residents were given their deeds in person by the MMC, while government officials stayed in the area afterwards to hand out the other 128 deeds to residents present. Title deeds are legal documents that prove legal ownership of property under South African law.

After receiving her title deeds, Sarah Nkgweng spoke publically about how difficult it had been to navigate the informal settlement in her wheelchair and thanked the City for giving her an accessible home. *Photo: Robyn Kirk*

“Today we handed out title deeds to residents who had been allocated their houses in 2017,” Mabaso told the Fourways Review. “We know that this wasn’t enough [people receiving the deeds], so we’re definitely going to continue to improve the process and come back in the future.

“For these community members, the proof of ownership provides dignity. Many of these people were relocated from the informal settlements, and this is the first house they’ve ever owned.”

Daniel Zimbiri, an 89-year-old resident, was the first community member to receive his paperwork on the day. “It’s absolutely lovely, this is the first home I’ve ever owned.”

Mlungisi Mabaso, the MMC for the City’s Housing Department, is present at the handover and gave the keynote address. *Photo: Robyn Kirk*

NM Zimu, another recipient, shared the joy. “I’m very happy,” she said. “I’ve been waiting for this since 1996. God is great, and I am very thankful to Him for this.”

Mthembu was also excited, both for the day’s recipients and for community members who will become homeowners in the future. “We still have a long way to go, we need to make the process [for RDP house ownership] shorter as there is a big wait between when people are allocated the house and when they receive the deeds. I’m glad Mabaso addressed that and will be working to make the system better.