​On Friday, 26 February 2016 a ceremony was held at the ward councillor’s office in Ravensmead to hand over title deeds to five beneficiaries on the City’s housing database who had been waiting for over 30 years. The ceremony was presented jointly by the Provincial Department of Human Settlements and the City of Cape Town.

“Many people have homes but do not own them as they are still paying it off, so this is definitely a memorable event for these beneficiaries as they now have something they can pass on to their children or grandchildren,” said ward councillor Beverley Van Reenen (Ward 25).

“They must take pride in their homes as it is one of their biggest assets and they need to protect it. We urge them to take out home owner’s insurance in the event of a fire or any disaster which may destroy or damage their homes. We also advise them against falling for any scams where someone comes and wants to buy their home from them and turn it into a shop or business,” said Cllr Van Reenen.

There are reports of home owners giving up their homes for as little as R5 000 not realising the true value of their properties.
Other residents who have been renting or paying off a council unit are urged to make contact to find out if they are beneficiaries by contacting they Human Settlements Department on 021 483 9486.