Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality has introduced a task team that has been instructed to deliver houses to communities within eight months.
Executive mayor, Athol Trollip, said on Sunday that Operation Buyisa Isidima, will be rolled out through this “ground-breaking task team".
He said the operation is about building a caring city that ensures and protects the dignity of our people.
“The newly launched task team has been instructed to ensure an eight- month turnaround time, from when ground is first broken at a housing project to when the rightful home owners receive their verified title deeds,” Trollip said.
“Historically, this process has taken years, if at all,” he said.
Trollip said that Operation Buyisa Isidima, through this task team, will also focus on preparing an audited and verified list of existing beneficiaries, identifying those who still require title deeds.
He said estimates indicate that this number could be well over 10 000, all of which this government will audit and hand out to the rightful owners before the end of 2017.
“As a crucial spin-off, this operation will also identify instances of illegal occupation. Each case will then be dealt with in the most appropriate and efficient manner so as to return the home to its rightful owner,” said Trollip.
He said this is the “final push to dramatically improve and verify delivery, registration and ownership of state-subsidised housing”.
“The task team is made up of deeds office staff, land surveyors, town planners, housing delivery officials and a municipal conveyancer,” said Trollip.
