An unemployed mother of six, Thandi Masango will be allocated a new site at Charl Cilliers for her RDP house to be built as no money was paid under her name.
The Govan Mbeki Municipality agreed that Masango was approved in 2014 to the same house that is being occupied by Octavia Makua at Ext 22 eMbalenhle.
“After the house was completed, however, it was handed over to Makua who was approved for another stand also in the same area,” said Lucky Mhlongo, acting head of communications at the municipality.
“The same RDP is in the name of Masango, but was paid under Makua’s name.
“Masango could unfortunately never take possession of the house because the contractor had already handed it over to Makua.
“The contractor didn’t build the house for Makua at her specific stand, because that stand was in a waterlocked area and it was later invaded,” explained Mhlongo.
He said the municipality had a meeting with both Masango and Makua to resolve the matter.
Mhlongo said they agreed that Makua will remain in the house, because the money was claimed by the contractor under her name.
Masango will be allocated a new site at Charl Cilliers for her house to be built, but there is currently no money paid under her name.
Masango and her husband are currently renting another person’s RDP house where they are raising their six children on child support grants.
She is confused by how the municipality aims to solve the problem.
She questioned how the municipality is going to register a stand and RDP house in Charl Cilliers in her name, because one has already been granted to her in name only.
“One cannot benefit twice,” she said.
“Yes, we met with municipal officials from housing department and they convinced me to relinquish my RDP house that was given to Makua in Ext 22.
“I was promised that I will be given an RDP house in Charl Cilliers early next year, but I want to know how they will be able to register this house in my name, because a house in eMbalenhle has already been registered to me even though I am not occupying it.”
She has decided to give the officials the benefit of the doubt and agreed to wait.
Freddy Ngobe from the Mpumalanga Department of Human Settlement said as a matter policy, one cannot benefit twice from any government housing subsidy.
