The Department of Human Settlements has a budget of R33.4-billion available for the 2017/18 financial year.
“Of this, R873-million is directed towards initiatives and the administration of the department, while R19.9-billion will be transferred to provinces,” Human Settlements Minister Lindiwe Sisulu said during her Budget Vote presentation.
She added that R11.4-billion would be transferred to the eight metropolitan municipalities in the form of an urban settlements development grant and that transfers to departmental entities and related parties would total R1.2-billion.
Government planned to roll out 46 catalytic projects across all nine provinces.
“Clearing the backlog of title deeds is another priority that government will focus on this year. This has become critical because the longer it takes to deal with this, the more difficult it becomes.”
She pointed out that a study found that, of the six-million registered residential properties in the deeds registry, 1.44-million were government-subsidised houses, representing just fewer than a quarter of registered residential properties.
“It could increase to 35% if the backlog in issuing title deeds is not overcome.”
Sisulu said a Ministerial task team had been appointed to address the backlog.
A team of conveyancers, who are part of this task team, have also been appointed and have been assigned to all nine provinces to assist with the elimination of the title deeds backlog.
“A critical element in this project is the communication and consumer awareness-raising component that will set out both the benefits and risks attached to title deeds,” she said.