Majority of home owners don't have title deeds - Minister

The Minister of State for Harare Metropolitan Province, Miriam Chikukwa has said it is government's desire to see home owners acquiring title deeds and having security of tenure on their properties, ZBC News reported.

Minister Chikukwa said this during the launch of the Zimbabwe Property Owners Trust (ZIPOT) in Chitungwiza where out of 54 000 home owners, only 2 000 have title deeds.

While urban areas are developing at an alarming rate with almost everyone striving to acquire a piece of land, it is disheartening to note that most home owners are yet to get title deeds for their properties. 

Chikukwa said it is government's desire to ensure that every home owner has title deeds adding that title deeds are another form of empowerment.

"Title deeds are your treasure, so it is government's wish that all home owners have title deeds," she said.

ZIPOT founder and CEO, Paul Mangwana said after carrying out a thorough research, his organisation discovered that most people were ignorant of the need to have title deeds.

"Most people do not have title deeds and they don't realise the importance of having them," said Mangwana.

With most Zimbabweans operating in the informal sector, title deeds have become an important asset which is being used as collateral security to finance small businesses.