Eastern Cape MEC for Human Settlements Ms Helen Sauls-August has given a go ahead to all municipalities to re-allocate un occupied houses to other qualifying beneficiaries by following de-registration of approved beneficiaries who have not taken ownership of their completed government subsidy houses. She was speaking at a quarterly session with councillors responsible for human settlements portfolio.
“The municipalities must undertake de registration to advertise and trace missing beneficiaries and allow for 21 days response before commencing with the de-registration of a beneficiary,” she said. She advised against seeking short cuts on the deregistration processes. “If the legal processes is not followed to the latter, the process becomes illegal. De-registration process must be done correctly.”
The Human Settlements provincial department has learnt that some municipalities are struggling to trace beneficiaries whose houses have been completed. Despite the provincial department’s continuous efforts to deliver housing projects in the province, BNG housing units remain unoccupied and subject to vandalism.
The unoccupied houses also delay the transfer and issuing of title deeds to correct beneficiaries. This year alone, the department’s plans to lodge, transfer and issue 10 000 title deeds to correct beneficiaries.
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