A number of intended RDP beneficiaries in Mdantsane’s Unit P have found their houses hijacked.
The Daily Dispatch reported earlier this month on the plight of 37-year-old Zamukulungisa Mnyaka, who is sleeping on the streets despite having a house allocated to him in Unit P by the provincial government. The home of his dreams has been illegally occupied by someone else.
Now three more people have come forward to report they are in the same predicament.
Mdantsane’s Mkhululi Petye last week told the Dispatch that his family of four had knocked on many doors in a bid to reclaim their house in Unit P, which was finished in 2015, vandalised before they could move in and is now occupied by strangers.
Speaking from Pretoria, Petye, 42, who shares a four-roomed house in Mdantsane’s NU9, said his mother died a painful death in 2009, while they were trying to get a decent house. “Because we were staying in a tiny house that we shared with another family, we were listed as those who would soon be moved to a new house at Unit P.
“My mother waited for the house until she died. It was a painful experience for her as she was up and down trying to get a decent home for her family,” he said, adding that their RDP home had been completed in 2015 but no one had ever come to tell them it was ready – and soon after, it was vandalised.
When they saw how the house had been left without doors and windows, the family approached Buffalo City Metro’s housing department pleading with them to allow them to move in and fix the house on their own.
“We even told them that we will sign a sworn affidavit stating that we will fix the house ourselves and that we will not seek any repayment from government.
“However, we were refused and told that we should wait until the house was rectified by the state before we could move in.
“That did not happen for some time and we were shocked in 2016 when we were told by our neighbour there that someone had come, fixed the house and was now occupying it. When we approached that family, they refused to vacate our house.
“We approached our councillor who told us that if we wanted to evict the occupants, we needed to go to court – a process we know drags on forever,” an emotional Petye told the Daily Dispatch.
Mdantsane’s Odwa Vuso had the same story to tell. He has also been sent from pillar to post by BCM when looking for help in evicting the illegal occupants.
Vuso and his family were also sharing a house in NU2, and were approved for a house in 2014. Three years down the line, he is unable to move in.
His house was also vandalised and when he wanted to move in and fix it himself, he said, BCM refused saying that was not allowed and he should wait until the metro fixed it.
“I was later informed in 2016 that the house was occupied by some other family which when I visited them, they failed to produce any documentation to show that they were occupying the house legally.
“This is frustrating and very stressing as I cannot buy myself any furniture while I do not have a house of my own.
“To make matters worse I have a son who is sickly and whom I cannot properly care for while staying in this tiny shared house,” said Vuso.
BCM spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond had previously told the Dispatch that there were many similar cases reported to them and that the metro was doing its utmost trying to evict illegal occupants and place the rightful owners in their houses. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
Owners out in cold as illegal occupants ‘hijack’ RDP homes
The Daily Dispatch reported earlier this month on the plight of 37-year-old Zamukulungisa Mnyaka, who is sleeping on the streets despite having a house allocated to him in Unit P by the provincial government. The home of his dreams has been illegally occupied by someone else.
Now three more people have come forward to report they are in the same predicament.
Mdantsane’s Mkhululi Petye last week told the Dispatch that his family of four had knocked on many doors in a bid to reclaim their house in Unit P, which was finished in 2015, vandalised before they could move in and is now occupied by strangers.
Speaking from Pretoria, Petye, 42, who shares a four-roomed house in Mdantsane’s NU9, said his mother died a painful death in 2009, while they were trying to get a decent house. “Because we were staying in a tiny house that we shared with another family, we were listed as those who would soon be moved to a new house at Unit P.
“My mother waited for the house until she died. It was a painful experience for her as she was up and down trying to get a decent home for her family,” he said, adding that their RDP home had been completed in 2015 but no one had ever come to tell them it was ready – and soon after, it was vandalised.
When they saw how the house had been left without doors and windows, the family approached Buffalo City Metro’s housing department pleading with them to allow them to move in and fix the house on their own.
“We even told them that we will sign a sworn affidavit stating that we will fix the house ourselves and that we will not seek any repayment from government.
“However, we were refused and told that we should wait until the house was rectified by the state before we could move in.
“That did not happen for some time and we were shocked in 2016 when we were told by our neighbour there that someone had come, fixed the house and was now occupying it. When we approached that family, they refused to vacate our house.
“We approached our councillor who told us that if we wanted to evict the occupants, we needed to go to court – a process we know drags on forever,” an emotional Petye told the Daily Dispatch.
Mdantsane’s Odwa Vuso had the same story to tell. He has also been sent from pillar to post by BCM when looking for help in evicting the illegal occupants.
Vuso and his family were also sharing a house in NU2, and were approved for a house in 2014. Three years down the line, he is unable to move in.
His house was also vandalised and when he wanted to move in and fix it himself, he said, BCM refused saying that was not allowed and he should wait until the metro fixed it.
“I was later informed in 2016 that the house was occupied by some other family which when I visited them, they failed to produce any documentation to show that they were occupying the house legally.
“This is frustrating and very stressing as I cannot buy myself any furniture while I do not have a house of my own.
“To make matters worse I have a son who is sickly and whom I cannot properly care for while staying in this tiny shared house,” said Vuso.
BCM spokeswoman Bathandwa Diamond had previously told the Dispatch that there were many similar cases reported to them and that the metro was doing its utmost trying to evict illegal occupants and place the rightful owners in their houses. — asandan@dispatch.co.za
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