Estate agent rearrested for RDP housing scam

Multiple fraud-accused Annica van Staden, who evaded her initial court case, has reappeared, facing even more charges.

Annica van Staden, 46, who was out on bail for illegally selling RDP houses, vehicles and shipping containers, was rearrested on Monday.

Van Staden was arrested at her hideout in Boksburg after a warrant of arrest was issued.

The Hawks pounced on Van Staden, who had her bags packed and was ready to flee again.

Mpumalanga Hawks spokesperson, Captain Dineo Sekgotodi, said Van Staden appeared in the Middelburg Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday.

Van Staden was initially arrested in Protea Glen, Soweto, in August 2019, for fraud.

She was released on bail and the matter was postponed to 11 November 2020 – but she failed to reappear.

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“Members of the Hawks Serious Commercial Crime Investigation team swiftly acted on information from the community about her hiding place. The team proceeded to the address and found her with her luggage packed and ready to flee,” Sekgotodi said.

Van Staden allegedly sold RDP houses and repossessed houses, without the owners’ consent, in Middelburg, Mpumalanga.

Sekgotodi said Van Staden had posed as an estate agent.

“Potential home buyers paid money into her business trust account, which traded under Housing First Eiendomme. As soon as people paid money into her trust account, she would transfer it to her alleged accomplices.

“Further investigation has linked her to fraud cases, worth approximately R184 000. Those cases were registered in Orange Farm, Nelspruit, Lydenburg and Piet Retief,” said Sekgotodi.

Van Staden is also linked to other fraudulent activities, worth R3 million, in which she sold bricks, building cement and air conditioners in Protea Glen.

In Piet Retief, Lydenburg and Cape Town, she illegally sold vehicles and shipping containers.

Sekgotodi has promised that more arrests are imminent.

Van Staden is expected back in court on 5 May.