Thabiso Goba2 January 2025 | 16:19

FS govt accused of prejudice for failing to act on 480 applications of wrongful registration of properties

This has been revealed in a recently released investigation report by the Public Protector.

FS govt accused of prejudice for failing to act on 480 applications of wrongful registration of properties

Picture: Facebook/Public Protector South Africa

JOHANNESBURG - The Free State government has been accused of prejudice after failing to act on 480 applications of wrongful registration of properties since 2017. 

All the properties are registered in Thaba Nchu, east of Bloemfontein. 

This has been revealed in a recently released investigation report by the Public Protector. 

The Public Protector's investigation stems from two complaints it received from Ranthamane Nche and Billy Plaatjies. 

Both men inherited properties from their parents, however, when they checked the title deeds offices, the properties were registered to somebody else. 

After many years of the men going from one government department to another to rectify this, they wrote to the Public Protector to investigate. 

The Puplic Protector's investigation revealed there were at least 480 other similar scenarios which the Free State government and the national Department of Public Works have not resolved. 

The Public Protector said that this posed real prejudice to the complainants, who were being deprived of their constitutional rights to ownership of their properties. 

Government has been ordered to draw up a plan within 90 days to resolve these outstanding issues.