“No single councillor may register people for houses or allocate houses to any single member of the community. There are officials in the Department of Local Government and Housing designated to do that job. In the absence of any Department of Local Government and Housing officials no one is allowed to register or to allocate houses,” said MEC Kgaogelo Lekgoro.
The MEC was responding to allegations that a group of people were registering people on the housing database to forcefully occupy houses being built by the Department. The department has been informed that people were called to attend a meeting called by an independent ward councillor. It is alleged that the said councillor told residents to bring their C-forms to register to be allocated houses.
“We will not allow anarchy to settle in our communities and anybody who is prepared to test the might of the state should try and occupy the houses illegally. We will act very swiftly with the law enforcement agencies to ensure that those who have occupied houses illegally are charged. We have instructed our officials to be vigilant and we are stepping up security at all our projects. We are aware that those who occupy RDP houses illegally target them when they are near completion and awaiting finishing touches. We are also aware that they come at night and not during the day when people could see them,” said MEC Kgaogelo Lekgoro.
“We request people not to participate in these criminal activities, spelling anarchy in our communities and housing developments. It costs the government more time and money to remove people from illegally occupied houses. This is the money that should go towards the building of more houses and the installation and maintenance of bulk water and sewerage services. It also deprives those who have patiently waited an opportunity to occupy their houses,” said MEC Lekgoro.
“We are following all leads on the allegations that an independent ward councillor may be involved in instigating people to participate in this criminal action. We will update the public on the progress of the follow up. At this moment we request people who have all the relevant information about this matter to contact the Anti Corruption and Fraud unit of the Gauteng Department of Local Government and Housing,” advised MEC Lekgoro.
For more information contact:
Fred Mokoko
Cell: 082 447 8407
Tel: 011 355 4013
E-mail: Fred.Mokoko@gauteng.gov.za
Issued by: Department of Local Government and Housing, Gauteng Provincial Government
24 November 2009
