An East London man is embroiled in a bitter fight for his home in Unit P outside Mdantsane, which he claims has been illegally invaded by someone else.
Lungisa Matolwana, 34, said he applied for a house in Buffalo City Metro (BCM) in 2013.
However, Matolwana, who was living in a shack at Evelwano informal settlement, discovered that there was a house already allocated to him when he inquired at BCM in 2014.
Excitedly, he rushed to the house address but found it had been vandalised.
“BCM told me I could not move into a vandalised house.
“But they prevented me from fixing it myself because they feared I would then claim the money back.”
Then in 2016, he was shocked to find someone else living in the house.
“I went with the police and they asked her to produce papers and she said she was renting the house from her cousin who lives in Cape Town.
“Upon further questioning, the woman said she bought the house for R20,000,” he said.
He added: “When I went there again with a relative in 2017 to ask her to move out, she said I must give her three months to leave, but after that period she refused to leave. She called EFF members from Unit P to come and chase me away.
“They told me the house now belongs to the woman and I must stop harassing her or they will beat me to death,” he said.
He showed the Dispatch a copy of a letter from Legal Aid lawyers instructing the woman to leave. However, she had refused to leave he said.
The Dispatch spoke to Nomonde Nweke at the house, but she refused to comment.
BCM spokesman Samkelo Ngwenya said: “An investigation was undertaken and we have handed over the matter to our legal services department.”
EFF regional spokesman Xolile Mboni said a resolution to occupy vacant houses that were being vandalised, was taken by residents in 2016.
“But there were allegations that councillors were selling the houses and the right beneficiaries were not getting them. It was agreed that the right owners would have to deal with the municipality,” Mboni said.
Matolwana’s case is only one of many in the area.
Man battles to get invader out his house
Image: BHONGO JACOB
An East London man is embroiled in a bitter fight for his home in Unit P outside Mdantsane, which he claims has been illegally invaded by someone else.
Lungisa Matolwana, 34, said he applied for a house in Buffalo City Metro (BCM) in 2013.
However, Matolwana, who was living in a shack at Evelwano informal settlement, discovered that there was a house already allocated to him when he inquired at BCM in 2014.
Excitedly, he rushed to the house address but found it had been vandalised.
“BCM told me I could not move into a vandalised house.
“But they prevented me from fixing it myself because they feared I would then claim the money back.”
Then in 2016, he was shocked to find someone else living in the house.
“I went with the police and they asked her to produce papers and she said she was renting the house from her cousin who lives in Cape Town.
“Upon further questioning, the woman said she bought the house for R20,000,” he said.
He added: “When I went there again with a relative in 2017 to ask her to move out, she said I must give her three months to leave, but after that period she refused to leave. She called EFF members from Unit P to come and chase me away.
“They told me the house now belongs to the woman and I must stop harassing her or they will beat me to death,” he said.
He showed the Dispatch a copy of a letter from Legal Aid lawyers instructing the woman to leave. However, she had refused to leave he said.
The Dispatch spoke to Nomonde Nweke at the house, but she refused to comment.
BCM spokesman Samkelo Ngwenya said: “An investigation was undertaken and we have handed over the matter to our legal services department.”
EFF regional spokesman Xolile Mboni said a resolution to occupy vacant houses that were being vandalised, was taken by residents in 2016.
“But there were allegations that councillors were selling the houses and the right beneficiaries were not getting them. It was agreed that the right owners would have to deal with the municipality,” Mboni said.
Matolwana’s case is only one of many in the area.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos