Some community members in Mahikeng in the North West are outraged at reports that some beneficiaries of RDP houses are selling or renting them out. This as residents claim they are yet to receive RDP houses with no avail.
Marriam Nomandla is one of those who rented an RDP house at Extension 39 in Mahikeng. Only a week after moving in with her children the purported landlord demanded that she leave the premises immediately.
She recounts how they had been harassing her making threats and demanding additional payments beyond what was agreed on the lease.
”I took further steps. I went to the housing tribunal, and there they gave me (document) that I should give to the owner of the house so that we could go to court together to come to some kind of understanding between us. Judging from my situation that I have kids, moving is going to cost a lot on my children’s education. The owner never showed up at the housing tribunal court and then I was told to sit in that house till further notice. I’m one of other people that are living in houses without tittle deeds of that house,” says Nomandla.
Meanwhile, Spokesperson for the Department of Human Settlements in the North West, Dineo Lolokwane says even though a beneficiary can only sell an RDP house after living in it for a minimum of 8 years, the state should be given the first priority to buy the house.
”The beneficiary, whether renting the property out, or not, is registered on the database of Human Settlements, and unfortunately will not be able to qualify for any other housing opportunity as the system can even pick up a beneficiary registration detail in other provinces,” says Lolokwane
Some Mahikeng residents outraged over illegal renting, selling of RDP houses:
