Note to Editors: Please note Riona Gokool, MPL sound bite in English
The DA in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) notes with deep concern the ongoing delays in finalising the transfer of ownership of units at the Flamingo Heights flats in Tongaat – a project first begun more than six years ago to provide residents with long-overdue title deeds and security of tenure.
According to the latest status report by eThekwini Municipality – tabled at a recent KZN Human Settlements portfolio committee – while key steps including land audits, town planning layouts, and Surveyor General approvals have been completed, the project remains stalled due to persistent bureaucratic inefficiencies and poor interdepartmental coordination.
This includes the discovery that Erf 2379 Tongaat – the land on which Flamingo Heights stands – is still classified as a public open space which has further delayed the process pending closure and rezoning applications.
Residents of Flamingo Heights have waited too long for what they were promised – dignity through ownership.
This situation is symptomatic of eThekwini Municipality’s inability to plan, communicate, and execute effectively. The DA regards it as unacceptable that residents continue to live in uncertainty while red tape and administrative mismanagement delay their right to ownership.
The DA will work with its Housing portfolio colleagues in eThekwini in a bid to;
• Fast-track the Closure of Public Open Space application through Real Estate and Town Planning departments and set a fixed timeline for approval
• Establish a dedicated multi-departmental task team to oversee the remaining stages, including Spatial Planning and Land Use Management Act, 2013 (Act No. 16 of 2013) (SPLUMA) compliance, rezoning and title deed issuance, with clear accountability and monthly progress updates
• Implement transparent public reporting mechanisms to allow residents to access updates without bureaucratic barriers and;
• Engage directly with beneficiaries to ensure that they are informed of timelines, processes and their rights throughout.
As a partner within KZN’s Government of Provincial Unit (GPU), the DA remains committed to empowering communities through secure property ownership, efficient public administration and transparent governance.
Flamingo Heights should be a model of successful urban regeneration and housing reform, not another example of government paralysis. The DA will continue to hold eThekwini Municipality accountable until every qualifying resident receives their title deed and the dignity that comes with it.