Deputy Mayor urges residents to digitalise their title deeds

WARD 8 councillor and Bulawayo Deputy Mayor Edwin Ndlovu has urged residents to replace their old paper-based title deeds with secure, digital versions as part of Government efforts to overhaul the country’s land title system.

Last year, Government gave homeowners, farmers and businesses 24 months to present their original title deeds to the Registrar of Deeds for verification following a directive for a sweeping overhaul of the country’s land title system to modernise the property sector and curb fraud.

Under new regulations, all property owners must replace their old paper-based title deeds with secure, digital versions within the next two years.
Over the weekend, Deputy Mayor held a meeting with residents of Ward 8 where lawyers and officials from the Royal Legal Aid Trust explained to the homeowners and local business owners the importance of digitalising their title deeds.

The meeting was held at McDonald Hall in Mzilikazi suburb.
“We encourage all the residents of the ward and the entirety of Bulawayo residents to make sure they take advantage of this process so they can secure their property from fraud. The process is important as Government moves to ensure that all title deeds are digitalised to end to the vulnerabilities of the past were documents were forged and there were a lot of disputes over double-sold properties.

“Moving forward residents will have title deeds that are tamper-proof and are accessible in an electronic registry,” said Deputy Mayor Ndlovu.
“The government is trying to make sure that our people do not lose their property to fraudsters. The digitilisation programme will ensure that residents secure their properties against fraudulent activities where people lost their houses in the past,”

The shift is being spearheaded by the Ministry of Justice, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs and marks a major step by President Mnangagwa’s broader push to digitise and streamline Government services.

The process is designed to be rigorous: officials will scrutinise each document to confirm its authenticity before issuing a new, digitally secured deed. In some cases, additional proof of ownership may be required, ensuring that only legitimate claims are recognised.

Once approved, the new title deeds will exist in both electronic and printed formats and stored on a fortified digital platform accessible around the clock.
Gone are the days of frantic searches for faded, dog-eared papers—property records will now be just a few clicks away, safeguarded against damage, theft and manipulation.