The Mbetse family believe that they are renting an RDP house at Ext 10, Greenfield section at eMbalenhle from former Ward 9 councillor, Mr Douglas Mahlangu.
They claim that they had been paying Mr Mahlangu R1,800 per month and they were surprised to recently see the real beneficiary of the RDP house, Mr Joseph Mtsweni.
According to Ms Nomsa Mbetse, Mr Mtsweni is now demanding his house, while Mr Mahlangu refutes the claim.
“We asked Mr Mahlangu to explain what is happening, but he only wants his monthly rent money.
“Mr Mahlangu told us that the house belongs to his daughter who is in Delmas, but Mr Mtsweni came with his proof that the house belongs to him,” said Ms Mbetse.
She said Mr Mahlangu’s daughter has now given them 15 days’ notice to evacuate the house, while Mr Mtsweni told them to stay put.
“We met Mr Mahlangu six months ago while we were looking for a house to rent. He demanded rent of R2,500 each month but came down with the rent when we said that we could not afford it.
“In the past, he collected the rent money at night or asked for us to meet him at eMba Mall, but these days he wants the money to be paid in at a money market of retail stores,” said Ms Mbetse.
Mr Mtsweni said he was surprised when the Hawks called him for a meeting last month.
He was shown a title deed of the said RDP house with his name on it and asked if he was aware that he owns an RDP house at Greenfield.
“I remember applying for the house many years ago but had no response from the municipality. I thought this RDP house to which the Hawks referred was the same RDP house in which I currently live.”
Mr Mtsweni is scared that he will be arrested for crimes that were committed by councillors.
“When I met the Hawks, I saw many people with the same problem.
“I have not yet met Mr Mahlangu. I want to know what has happened because the same Mr Mahlangu was a councillor, which means he must have been renting out my house to others a long time ago,” said Mr Mtsweni.
Mr Mahlangu refuted the allegations against him.
He said this RDP house belongs to his daughter and she was staying in it until she got a job outside the Govan Mbeki municipal jurisdiction.
Mr Mahlangu wanted to know where Mr Mtsweni had been all this time and why he now suddenly appears after 12 years.
“It’s a lie that I collect rent money at night. They deposit the money for rent at the money market in one of the retail shops at eMbalenhle Mall each month for my daughter to collect.
“If that family doesn’t want to pay rent, they can leave my daughter’s house.”
Mr Mahlangu said the Hawks, the Evander court and the parliamentary constituency office want to question him with regards to his daughter’s house.
Mr Fidel Mlombo, chief whip of the Mpumalanga provincial legislature and head of the Secunda parliamentary constituency, said they have received a complaint and allegations about an RDP house at Ext 10, Greenfield.
He said they will call all concerned parties and try to get at the truth of the matter and the relevant departments will also be summoned.
