A man was arrested on the weekend for illegally selling two city-owned stands in Weilers Farm, south of Johannesburg for R30 000, City of Joburg Executive Mayor Herman Mashaba announced in a statement.
Mashaba said the man had somehow convinced two victims to purchase the stands for R15 000 each.
The man, whose name was disclosed to the COURIER, appeared in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The COURIER was awaiting feedback from the police on the court ruling.
According to Mashaba, the man was appearing on charges of fraud and corruption.
“In September 2010 *Tom (not his real name) was appointed by a consultant working for the city’s Housing Department to assist with registration of title deeds. He was also a community liaison officer for a contractor appointed by the Housing Department to build houses in Kanana Park (Weilers Farm) in 2008,” Mashaba said.
“It is alleged that in 2011, the complainant was informed that a certain city official, *Tom, was selling stands around Weilers Farm for R15 000 each. The complainant then met with *Tom and agreed on the terms of payment for the stand. *Tom was paid a deposit of R6 000 and the balance was paid in monthly installments.”
In November 2011 a second victim, also from Weilers Farm, was also allegedly scammed by *Tom. The complainant paid a deposit of R8 000 into *Tom’s account and the remainder in installments.
The second complainant was then allocated a stand in the area but the stand belonged to someone else.
Mashaba said both victims tried for years to get their money back from *Tom without success. They then approached the city’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services Department in June this year.
The mayor said this was the third such arrest made this year, and appealed to anyone with information on the illegal sale of stands and RDP houses to come forward with information.
“I would also like to encourage people to report any fraud and corruption activities through our 24-hour tip-off hotline 0800 002 587.”
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