FINANCE MATTERS
DECEASED ESTATES RESOLVED
Recent analysis of data from the population register and deeds data indicates that 15 % of properties in Khayelitsha are still registered in the names of deceased people . To-date , the TSC has logged 147 deceased estate cases . Of those , nine cases have been successfully resolved with another 20 transfers
in progress . These cases can be particularly challenging ; in some cases , the estate has not been reported to the Master ’ s Office , and the deceased rarely have Wills in place . The documentation requirements are also onerous and the Masters office slow , with its operations completely stopping during the Covid-19 lockdown .
CASE STUDY 3
The TSC helped Mrs Mtini transfer her property into her name . For the past 16 years the property had been registered in her deceased husband ’ s name . While Mrs Mtini was nominated a exector of her husband ’ s estate in 2010 , she was not aware of what steps to follow to transfer the property into her name . Now that she has the title deed , she hopes to access a buildng subsidy to build a top structure on her plot of land .
PRIMARY TRANSFERS FACILITATED
In mid-2020 , the TSC with funding from the Mastercard Foundation , conducted a door-to-door survey of 1079 properties in Khayelitsha where no primary transfer had taken place . The survey collected detailed data on the current occupants of the property and reported ownership which was compared against the Government ’ s beneficiary lists for the properties . Where there was a match between these records , the TSC facilitates signature on the properties which sets in motion the transfer of properties to the beneficiaries .
After an extensive data validation process and Covid-19 related delays , the TSC is very pleased to have the first 98 title deeds ready to be handed out to beneficiaries and a further 140 title deeds already lodged in the Deeds Office and waiting to be released . Overall , the TSC expects a total of 484 properties to be transferred to beneficiaries in the Makhaza East , West and Central regions ( Zone 14 is being dealt with separately ), with the remaining cases requiring further investigation or dispute resolution .
WAY FORWARD
The TSC has ambitious plans for the year ahead including scaling up its operations into Gauteng , developing a blockchain-based case management and increasing its efforts to shift underlying policies and regulations that currently effectively exclude low-value properties from the formal property transfer system .
You can follow the TSC ’ s progress on both the Centre for Affordable Housing Finance in Africa ( CAHF ) and 71point4 ’ s websites , as well as the projects Facebook page @ TSCKhayelitsha .
ABOUT THE TRANSACTION SUPPORT CENTRE ( TSC )
The TSC is a joint project of CAHF and 71point4 and is currently supported by The Oppenheimer Generations Fund .
www . saaffordablehousing . co . za MARCH - APRIL 2021 21