Mountain View residents celebrate the long-awaited handover of title deeds

There were smiles and relief all around on Saturday, October 4, when the City of Cape Town handed over 203 title deeds to residents of the Mountain View housing project in Ocean View.

The handover took place at the Ocean View Multipurpose Centre, where beneficiaries officially became homeowners after years of waiting.

Ward councillor Simon Liell-Cock said the occasion was a “great relief” after a long delay caused by complex land use regulations.

“These beneficiaries have finally become legal owners of their homes,” he said. “As proud homeowners, they now have the power and the ability to improve the lives of their families.”

Councillor Carl Pophaim, mayoral committee member for human settlements, said the milestone was a significant step forward for the community.

“It provides the beneficiaries with formal proof of their home ownership and long-term security of tenure,” he said.

“Having legal ownership enables families to invest confidently in their homes, pass them on to future generations, and build stronger communities.”

He encouraged residents in older City housing developments who have not yet received their title deeds to contact the City for assistance.

“To really drive progress, we will soon take our new and improved Human Settlements bus into all areas of the metro to bring services closer to communities and take our Title-Deed-to-Door programme directly to residents again,” he said.

Mr Pophaim added that more Mountain View residents would soon be invited to collect their title deeds.

“This is an exciting process, but it requires a multidisciplinary team to verify the information. We ask residents to be patient — invites will be sent soon,” he said.

He confirmed that further title deed handovers are planned for Ocean View and nearby areas.

“We have 104 title deeds for Ocean View, and any clients still awaiting theirs are encouraged to contact the City’s call centre on 021 444 0333,” he said.