The Sunday News reported that on Saturday, 22 April, more than 265 title deeds were handed over to property owners in Epworth, with 11 000 more already processed.

The title deeds were handed over to residents by Mnangagwa at the launch of the Presidential Title Deeds and Settlement Regularisation Programme at Epworth High School.

Speaking at the event, Mnangagwa said the documents will provide security tenure for beneficiaries and protect them from land barons. He said:

The programme is one of the many responsive interventions by the Second Republic to improve the quality of life and livelihoods of our citizens.

The title deeds being issued today are an important empowerment tool and a legal document that gives beneficiaries several rights, which include ownership and security of tenure, and disposal and transfer of ownership from one person to another.

The title deeds also outline the land boundaries of the property and other related conditions.

I, therefore, call upon all the families being issued with title deeds to keep the documents in a safe and secure place.

The process of producing title deeds is very thorough and involves various ministries, agencies and departments working together under the Whole-of-Government approach.

This guarantees the security of the final title deeds and protects against counterfeit or fake documents.

The days when people would lose their hard-earned savings to unscrupulous merchants and land barons who sell land without any documentation are now behind us.

Mnangagwa said the programme was going to be rolled out in all the country’s 10 provinces. He said:

Following today’s historic milestone, the Presidential Title Deeds and Settlement Regularisation Programme is set to be rolled out to other provinces.

This event demonstrates that we have the political will and technical skills to deliver while sufficient resources are and available to support this exercise.

No one and no place or suburb or township will be left behind. Together, let us continue to build smart, sustainable and orderly human settlements.

He said a master plan which outlines the location of schools, clinics, hospitals, commercial and industrial sites has been developed for regularisation of suburb.

The President said the second phase will involve servicing of land, construction of roads, improvement of electricity and bulk water supply infrastructure, as well as modern sewer and waste management facilities.

More: Pindula News