An Alex mother has fallen victim to a housing scam involving a council bond house.
The victim, Mogau Marutla, who relocated to Limpopo for work leaving her family behind, was conned into buying a house for her school children. She was informed of the availability of the house by a friend and moved out of her rental house in Riverpark. This after paying R11 000 to Joyce Mahaba for the house on 11th Avenue. The transaction was done in an affidavit, signed and stamped at the Alexandra Police Station.
When Marutla and her children arrived for occupation, Mahada became evasive and would not pick up her phone. After numerous communication attempts [Marutla] realised something was wrong and tried to track Mahada down to demand her money back, but without success. Marutla had to seek court services where through mediation, an agreement to refund the money last weekend was made. She paid back R5 000 and requested to offset the balance later.
Marutla said she was later informed that other people had been conned over the house by the same person, but some had recovered their money. She also raised concern with the police stamping the affidavit saying they should be aware and advise the public that bonded houses are council property and are illegal to sell.
When confronted, Mahada accepted her fraudulent act and said she would not do it again. She said she had promised to refund her victim the balance this coming weekend. Also, she confirmed swindling two other people, but refunded one of them and arranged to pay the other this month end. She attributed her actions to financial stress, as she needed money to bury her father last month.
Meanwhile the victim’s children are residing with a friend.
Councillor Deborah Franscisco and Monde Mbingeleli, said illegal sale of bonded houses was a problem and advised residents to seek advise from councillors and the city’s department of housing before falling victim to housing scams.
Details: Monde Mbingeleli; 082 464 2946
