Billionaire Johann Rupert's quiet land reform effort has given 24,000 South Africans title deeds to their homes

South African billionaire Johann Rupert has been quietly funding a land reform programme that has helped more than 24,000 South Africans secure legal ownership of their homes.

• Johann Rupert has been funding the Khaya Lam land reform programme, enabling over 24,000 South Africans to obtain legal ownership of their homes.
• Khaya Lam, run by the Free Market Foundation since 2010, helps township residents convert municipal leaseholds into freehold ownership by covering legal costs.
• Rupert, with a net worth of $10.2 billion, is the programme’s largest donor, especially accelerating progress since a major donation in 2019.
• Title deeds allow beneficiaries to sell, inherit, or use their property as collateral, creating a pathway to wealth generation.

South African billionaire Johann Rupert has been quietly funding a land reform programme that has helped more than 24,000 South Africans secure legal ownership of their homes, turning thousands of long-time council tenants into property owners with assets they can sell, inherit, or use as collateral, according to a report by BillionairesAfrica.

The programme, Khaya Lam—Zulu for "My Home"—was established in 2010 by the Free Market Foundation to help residents living in apartheid-era township housing convert municipal leasehold properties into freehold ownership. While South African law has long allowed these transfers, the legal costs involved have remained out of reach for many households.

Khaya Lam addresses that challenge by raising private funding to cover the cost of transferring title deeds while working with municipalities and conveyancing attorneys to complete the process.

Rupert, South Africa's second-richest individual with an estimated net worth of $10.2 billion, is the programme's largest donor. A major donation he made in 2019 significantly accelerated the initiative, with most of the title transfers completed since then. The Rupert family has focused much of its support on communities in the Western Cape and parts of the Free State.

The programme transferred its first 100 title deeds in 2013 and reached 10,000 by 2023. As of July 2026, that figure has climbed to more than 24,000.

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More than a title deed

For beneficiaries, the impact goes beyond homeownership. A title deed allows owners to legally sell their property, pass it on to future generations, or use it to access finance—turning homes into assets that can generate wealth.

The Free Market Foundation estimates that between 5 million and 7 million South Africans still live in council-owned homes without legal title, highlighting the scale of the challenge.

Although Rupert has rarely spoken publicly about his support, advocates say Khaya Lam demonstrates how private funding can complement government efforts to expand property ownership and unlock economic opportunities for historically disadvantaged communities.