THORNHILL - MORE THAN 300 FAMILIES RECEIVED TITLE DEEDS FOR THEIR HOMES

More than 300 families in Thornhill, a small town in the Eastern Cape, received title deeds for their homes on Friday.

It's part of the Department of Human Settlements' drive to formally transfer property to RDP home owners.

Thornhill is just 40 km from Port Elizabeth. It's one of the neglected Eastern Cape towns. Unemployment is high and alcohol abuse rife. There have been numerous service delivery protests, largely over the slow pace of building houses for the poor.

In 2005, Bonelwa Blou moved into a RDP house. Years later she's finally got her title deed.

Bonelwa Blou says, “I am very happy. This is the day I will never forget in my life. I now have the papers to prove that this house belongs to me."

Government says it plans to build more houses in Thornhill. However, it has warned beneficiaries not to sell their dwellings to loan sharks.

Helen Sauls August MEC for Human Settlements says, “These houses particularly in the Thornhill area were constructed in 2006 and the municipality and conveyors had their own issues but eventually we intervened. We spoke, we are grateful to Kouga municipality for speeding up the process that today we are handing over 311 title deeds. "

Funding has been set aside to speed up the issuing of title deeds to RDP home owners in rural towns in the Eastern Cape.

VIA - sabc.co.za