Approximately 9 000 Council-owned rental properties in various areas of the metro are available to qualifying tenants for purchasing through the City’s rental sales programme.

These properties include free-standing and semi-detached houses, terraced or row houses and maisonettes that are located across the city in areas such as Gugulethu, Valhalla Park, Mitchells Plain, Heideveld and Nyanga, among others.

A renewed campaign was launched in 2013 to create further awareness of the City’s rental sales programme and a dedicated project team was established to fast-track the programme by encouraging qualifying tenants to make use of the opportunity to become the owners of the rental dwellings many of them had occupied for so many years.

Over the last five years, the City has sold 5 524 units out of the approximately 14 500 saleable units that were identified in 2013.

‘The rental sales programme, which is managed by the City’s Public Housing Department, is very exciting because it affords qualifying tenants, who are some of our most vulnerable residents, with the opportunity to be empowered as property owners.

‘The long-term benefits of tenants becoming property owners include having the security of owning their own property and not being limited by a lease agreement between a tenant and a landlord.

‘The property will also become a financial asset when ownership is transferred to the new owner. It can thus be sold by the new owner to earn a profit, which can be used to purchase another property, if they so desire. Also, a house can be added to a property owner’s estate so that it can be included in their wills to secure their homes for their loved ones in future,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements Councillor Malusi Booi.

Legal and qualifying tenants are encouraged to visit their nearest housing office or to be on the lookout for the MyEstate mobile housing office in their areas to learn more about this offering and to determine whether the rental dwelling that they occupy forms part of the remaining approximately 9 000 units.

To determine if they qualify to purchase a rental unit, tenants will need to produce the following documents when visiting the housing offices:

• A payslip not older than three months
• An affidavit should tenants be unemployed
• Proof of self-employment and six months’ certified income and expenditure statements
• A confirmation letter from the South African Social Security Agency if tenants receive a social grant
• Identity documents for the tenant and spouse if applicable
• A marriage certificate/divorce certificate/death certificate

‘This is an exciting opportunity for our qualifying tenants and we are encouraging them to take this step towards owning their own property. If our tenants have any questions regarding this opportunity, they are encouraged to visit their local housing office where they will be assisted,’ said Councillor Booi.

Multi-storey blocks of flats are not available for sale at present. The sale of blocks of flats can only happen through the implementation of a sectional title dispensation as set out in the Sectional Title Scheme Act (8 of 2011).

For more information also visit https://bit.do/Ownyourrentalhome

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