Pensioners on street
With nowhere else to turn to, Alwyn and Driena Grobler knocked on HERAUT's door for assistance. They have applied for a municipal flat in October 2019 and since then been engaging with Jantjie Khumalo from the municipal office (housing department).
“In August Khumalo informed us that we qualify and gave us the lease agreement. He told us to view the Boekenhof flats in Rensburg so we can decide which unit would be suitable,” Grobler said.
“After we selected Boekenhof flat number six, we contacted Khumalo who told us to meet him at the municipal offices on August 24 to sign the contract. On our arrival we were told that Khumalo is not available however another municipal employee by the name of Neo Matsobane assisted us,” Grobler said.
Matsobane informed the couple to go to the SAPS and sign an affidavit to confirm under oath that they will be able to afford the monthly rent of R1 851. “On our arrival back at the municipal office with our affidavit, we were advised by Matsobane, to rather contact Khumalo as he has been dealing with our request and all documentation should be handed to him.
“I phoned Khumalo several times, but were unable to get hold of him. In the interim, we gave notice where we lived that we will move out end of August, as we were ‘supposedly’ be moving into the municipal flat,” Grobler added.
After several failed attempts to get hold of Khumalo, a family member of the couple then phoned Khumalo on August 25 from a different phone number and managed to speak to him. Khumalo advised that he was at a funeral and said that they ‘in any case’ do not qualify for the municipal flat as their pension is not sufficient.
The couple has been trying to get hold of someone at the municipal office to explain how they can qualify, be handed a contract, be told to choose a flat, hand in an affidavit to confirm they can afford repayments and then ‘all of a sudden’ don’t qualify anymore.
Grobler and his wife are currently staying with a family member, but has no place to call home yet.
HERAUT referred the matter to Katleho Seaga (spokesperson Lesedi Local Municipality) who informed that the matter has been escalated and an internal investigation is underway.
