On Wednesday, August 18 the Department of Housing in the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) noted misinformation doing the rounds on social media regarding an event that is scheduled to take place on September 7.
According to the Department of Housing the event, which is stated as ‘Lufhereng and Fleurhof Housing Allocations’, is not scheduled to take place.
“We reiterate that the Department of Housing has no scheduled event to allocate houses in September,” said media liaison officer, Sibonelo Mtshali.
Some of the fake messages being shared on Facebook:
•The Department of Housing is looking for people who applied for RDP houses in the year of 1996/ 2000.
•The City of Ekurhuleni Member of the Mayoral Committee, Cllr Mr Mabaso cordially invites you to housing allocations event.
“We would like to put it on record that Member of the Mayoral Committee for Housing, Cllr Mlungisi Mabaso is employed by the City of Joburg under Executive Mayor Jolidee Matongo.
“The Department of Housing will never invite the public to its offices when handing over units to beneficiaries.
“Instead, it would inform beneficiaries before the event takes place. Any communication about the Department of Housing will come through the City of Joburg’s website as well as other social media platforms of the Department of Housing listed below.
“We urge the public to be cautious of fake news via social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and WhatsApp,” said Neo Goba from the Department of Housing.
In an attempt to put an end to this misinformation, which preys on residents’ desperation for houses, the public is urged to assist the Department of Housing by reporting the matter to the Group Forensic Investigating Services at Sappi Building, 48 Ameshoff Street, 6th floor in Braamfontein, or call the fraud hotline number on 080 000 2587 or use email whistle@joburg.org.za.
The official social media accounts of the Department of Housing are:
• @CoJhousing
• City of Joburg Housing Department: coj_mmc_housing_I
