Waiting is over - Poor whites of Krugersdorp finally receive title deeds to houses formerly owned by municipality

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POOR white families who have been living in municipal houses in Burgershoop, Krugersdorp West, were at the weekend given title deeds to those houses.

Mogale City mayor Koketso Seerane and Gauteng human settlements MEC Humphrey Memezi presented the title deeds to the poor families.

One of the recipients, Gert Pretorius, 55, cried after being told that he was one of those who had qualified.

"I am emotional and excited. My grandchild, who stays with me, clung to me and also started crying. He did not understand why I was crying," he said.

Pretorius arrived early on the day the title deeds were distributed.

Emerging from the hall three hours later and waving a copy of his title deed, Pretorius said: "I feel so much better now. I am very happy."

He told Sowetan he had been waiting for this moment for the past seventeen years and was "very happy the mayor had kept his promise to us".

The houses once belonged to the Krugersdorp municipality.

"We made an undertaking that before our term of office ends we would have transfer these houses to the rightful beneficiaries," Seerane said.

"Poverty knows no colour. We are driven by an agenda - that is to improve the quality of life, particularly of poor people.

"The people of this community will now have ownership of these houses. They have been waiting since 2003.

"They could not believe it when we told them that they would be the new owners. For now Burgershoop will benefit," said Councillor David Letsie.

Many poor white families who live in Coronation Park informal settlement have been promised houses in Chief Mogale Gardens near the Kagiso Shopping Mall.