The Western Cape government intends taking back houses sold or rented out by housing beneficiaries.
Five beneficiaries who received low-cost houses at the Mama’s housing project near Pelican Park have been given seven days to explain why they were not staying in their homes.
Human Settlements MEC Bonginkosi Madikizela personally delivered letters of final notice to the houses on Thursday.
The letters, addressed to the erf title holders, state that the Department of Human Settlements “has noted with concern that you have not yet taken occupation of the house that was allocated to you”.
To avoid further action, title holders are requested to submit reasons, within seven days of receipt of the letter, why they haven’t taken occupation of the house.
Failure to do so may result in the forfeiture of the house and its allocation to another beneficiary.
Madikizela said the provincial government had a “major problem” with beneficiaries selling or renting houses, in some cases days after the two-bedroomed units were handed to them.
“Through issuing these letters, we are sending a clear message: when the government gives you a house, live in it; don’t make money from it.”
At a housing hand-over in Blue Downs earlier this week, Madikizela warned beneficiaries that houses would be taken back and re-allocated to other deserving beneficiaries should they sell or rent their homes.
“If they try and rent out their house or sell it, it shows me that they don’t really need houses,” he said. “If that happens, we will use whatever legal means at our disposal and take the houses back, and give them to people who really need them.”
One of the people who received a final notice yesterday was Nomadinga Mamputa, who lives in the house of her daughter, Maud Yoliswa Mamputa.
“I’m living here now, but I will give the letter to her,” Mamputa said.
Madikizela said his department was working with steering committees, who were his “eyes and ears”, in all areas. “The steering committee members have full knowledge of who should be in which houses,” he said. “If they find that other people are staying there, we will deliver notices.”
Madikizela called on anyone who knew of beneficiaries who had sold or rented out their houses to contact the provincial Human Settlements Department.
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