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I will today write to the Chairperson of the Human Settlements Committee to request that Minister Tokyo Sexwale be called before the Committee to explain what measures he will put in place to cut the red tape that is delaying the registration of title deeds to RDP houses.

The formal process of transacting a house is too long, too costly, and has too many administrative burdens for RDP housing beneficiaries. A report <https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B_-slGu8-FTxeTdHYVNhbXNoak0> released by the Free Market Foundation yesterday indicates that unregistered title deeds to RDP houses could be costing the Government at least R50 billion. Nearly half of all RDP houses are not registered with any deeds office.

Section 10 of the Housing Act stipulates that a state-subsidised property cannot be sold for a period of eight years. However, as no title deeds exist at the deeds office, beneficiaries are unable to lawfully transfer ownership of their houses after the eight-year period. This only serves to boost a thriving informal market where RDP houses are sold below the market value.

Minister Sexwale must explain what steps he will be taking to streamline the process and facilitate the automatic registration of title deeds when RDP houses are handed over.

A title deed is much more than a piece of paper. It provides people with dignity, economic benefits and security of tenure. Minister Sexwale needs to appear before the Human Settlements Committee and propose measures to cut the red tape and administrative delay that is holding up registration of title deeds.