North West MEC for Human Settlements, Public Safety and Liaison, Desbo Mohono has welcomed a ruling by the Provincial Rental Housing Tribunal ruling ordering a landlord to refund R3 500 key deposit to a tenant during its hearing held in Rustenburg on Friday.
MEC Mohono applauds the order by the provincial qausi-judicial body established in terms of the Rental Housing Act 50, of 1999. The tribunal plays a regulatory function to promotes stability in the rental housing sector by resolving disputes that arises between tenants and landlords.
The tribunal ruled in favour of a tenant and complainant, Didericks Rudolph Losevickus as it found that the landlord, Desmond William Brown had no legal grounds not to refund the complainant his key deposit.
In another case where a complainant had amended his prayer from one of arrear rental and electricity account to one of cancellation of the lease contract between the parties, the matter was accordingly postponed to 24 June 2011 in order to allow the tenant to prepare his defence.
In the third case, tenant’s claim was disallowed for lack of authority as it found that he had no locus standi to lodge a complaint to the tribunal.
The Vic Reinecke vs Ananda Country Lodge case in which Ananda Country Lodge wants the tribunal to cancel the lease agreement it has with Reinecke and also terminate operational rights as linked to the contract was postponed for the second time. The case is to be heared during a special hearing scheduled for 27 June 2011.
The Reinecke family has been staying in an area allocated to be a caravan park for almost two decades .The Lodge allegedly evicted over 50 families from the premises and sold it to Royal Bafokeng Administration.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: 018 391 0420
Cell: 083 629 1987
