- eThekwini Municipality allocated land to 23 churches around Durban
- The sites are in Umlazi, Mpumalanga, Cato Manor and Verulam
- Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said the aim was land ownership and security of tenure
- City officials handed over transfer agreements on Good Friday
The eThekwini Municipality in South Africa handed over worship sites to 23 churches around Durban, TimesLIVE reported on April 7, 2023, in a report by Suthentira Govender.
The land is in Umlazi, Mpumalanga, Cato Manor and Verulam. The council approved the allocation at a recent meeting, and Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda announced it at a Good Friday service. City officials visited the churches that day to hand over transfer agreements. The report did not say whether the arrangements were leases or sales.
Kaunda said the goal was to “promote land ownership and security of tenure”. He said churches help with peace, unity and social problems affecting young people. “Most importantly, it will also assist us to collaborate on various government programmes, including using these churches to render government services,” he said.
For the 23 congregations, the transfers promised greater security of tenure.
Many Jamaican congregations also worship on land they do not own or hold without title. Durban’s approach, where the city allocates land to churches as partners in community services, is one model for local government. Jamaican churches seeking land could approach municipal corporations and the Commissioner of Lands with a clear proposal for how their site would serve the community.
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