In its quest to combat fraud and corruption associated with the management of beneficiaries applying for low income individual subsidy housing (RDP), the Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlements would has warned communities against paying money to officials, councillors and people for accessing government housing subsidy or services.
The department had received numerous complaints from members of the public who had fallen victims of housing scams and fraud. “The department does not employ intermediaries to assist beneficiaries with applications for RDP houses. Communities are urged to adhere to the prescribed deliberate application processes for obtaining government RDP houses or any other government service,” cautioned MEC Speedy Mashilo, the political head for this department.
According to the housing policy, applicants are required to register their needs for housing at municipalities and their applications are registered with the department through the Housing Subsidy System. The policy does not require any monetary contribution from eligible beneficiaries for the delivery of services. It also sets out concise qualification criteria that beneficiaries must be South African, 21 years or above, not have benefited before and earning less than R3 500per month.
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Mashilo has called on beneficiaries to report to law enforcement those who solicit money and other forms of bribery. “The low-income individual subsidy housing is deliberate, free and people-centred, thus anyone who solicits bribes or any form of payment from beneficiaries must be reported to law enforcement or be brought to the department’s attention,” warned Mashilo.
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He added that the role of municipalities in beneficiary management cannot be undermined and urged them to continue working with the department to combat fraud. “The department will continue working with various stakeholders through its RDP Fraud Management Committee and intensify its efforts to combat this scourge. Should people wish to report RDP-related fraud, do not hesitate to contact the department, visit the Human Settlements Offices or make use of our social media platforms,” advised Mashilo.
