MORE than 200 tenants from two low-cost housing developments in East London yesterday marched to Fleet Street police station where they attempted to lay charges of fraud against developers Own Haven Housing Association.
The tenants – from Reservoir Mews, which is on the corner of Oxford Street and Belgravia Crescent, and Southern Square in St Georges Road – claim they are paying higher rent than was agreed and that a levy had been added at a later stage that never formed part of the original rental agreements.
On arrival at the police station marchers were told by officers that they needed to lay the charges at the police’s commercial crimes unit.
Organisers of the march said they would do so this morning .
The Southernwood Square and Reservoir Mews developments are an initiative of the national Department of Human Settlements and the Own Haven Housing Association to provide housing to low-income earners.
Own Haven managing director Andrew Wiseman declined to comment yesterday. saying the matter was sub judice.
Wiseman said he was not aware of the march by tenants but suggested a meeting with the Dispatch this week so that the association could tell its side of the story.
Speaking to the Daily Dispatch yesterday, Reservoir Mews tenant Asanda Naketi said they had been “cheated and robbed”.
Naketi said that when she moved in to the flats the agreed rental was between 30-35% of her monthly income.
She claims she is now paying more than half of her income towards her rent.
Bulelwa Mbalo says she pays over R5000 a month as opposed to the R2600 agreed on when she moved in eight months ago.
The tenants said another grievance was a levy that was added after the original lease agreement was altered by the association. Tenants spoken to alleged the levy had not been communicated to them.
The additional levy is allegedly for sewerage, refuse collection and fire and security fees.
“We are even paying for non- existing security,” said Saziso Makuzeni, whose car was damaged while parked inside the Reservoir Mews premises in August.
“There was no security at the gates when this incident occurred and when I went to report the matter to the association’s office they told me they were not liable for any damages ,” said Makuzeni.
Khanyisa Mayambala said she was still waiting for her household goods to be returned to her after they were taken in January by lawyers who claimed she had not paid rent.
“Regardless of furnishing the association with proof of payment I have still not received my goods,” said Mayambala.
The chairman of a committee representing the tenants, Lungelo Nazo, said he had reported the added levy to the provincial department of human settlements.
In a replying letter to Nazo, the department said it was not aware of the added levy.
Last week department spokesman Lwandile Sicwetsha confirmed various complaints were made to the Rental Housing Tribunal, which was investigating. —