The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements has cautioned the public to be alert of unscrupulous people claiming to sell RDP houses and vacant land.
According to the head of communications, Tahir Sema, illegal trading of RDP houses is becoming prevalent as swindlers disguise themselves as officials of the department. So far, 10 cases have been brought to light.
“Please be aware of unscrupulous individuals taking advantage of unsuspecting members of the public by pretending to act on behalf of the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements. These scammers falsely claim to be senior officials, such as directors, MECs, or heads of department, to sound more legitimate,” said Sema.
MEC for Human Settlements’ spokesperson, Gift Langa, added that social media has become a playing field for swindlers, thus individuals continue to fall prey, where they pay hefty amounts of money to secure fraudulent property.
“The department has been receiving cases of people who were scammed via social media platforms. The scammers use different social media to advertise the alleged illegal sale of RDP houses, and issue victims fraudulent documents. After paying, victims don’t receive the promised houses from scammers,” said Langa.
He noted the department has opened a case with the police to investigate pending matters. The department has also heightened public awareness to mitigate similar ordeals in the future.
“The department is continuously embarking on awareness campaigns to warn Gauteng residents and expose the scammers,” said Langa.
Sema furthermore urged the public to be vigilant and aware of imposters who claim to sell land and houses on behalf of the department, or ask people to pay bribes to jump the waiting list and buy RDP houses.
“If you encounter any suspicious activity or receive such offers, please report them immediately to the local authorities. Stay vigilant and protect yourself from these fraudulent schemes,” said Sema.
An RDP owner is not allowed to sell their property, but they can only sell it after 8 years of ownership. Langa explained the owner must resell the property to their local Human Settlements Department, before making a counter offer to a third party.
“A beneficiary is not allowed to sell their RDP house for the first 8 years after receiving their title deed. Even at that time, the very first priority when selling this house after 8 years as per the pre-emptive clause in the title deed, suggests that the house must be sold back to the government. The department does not encourage people to sell their houses,” said Langa.
The Star