The City of Tshwane has warned against scammers targeting people looking for accommodation at the blocks of flats built under the government’s social housing programme in Marabastad.
The flats are for the benefit South Africans with a gross household income of between R11 301 and R22 000.
MMC for Human Settlements, Ofentse Madzebatela, said: “It has come to our attention that there is a fraudulent website that purports to be that of the Housing Company Tshwane, a housing entity of the City of Tshwane.”
He warned the public against using such websites, and individuals who claimed to be allocating and selling Housing Company Tshwane units at the Townlands social housing project.
“Housing Company Tshwane units are solely for rental purposes and are not for sale. These units are only allocated after an application process is concluded,” he said.
Madzebatela said that the Housing Company Tshwane communicated directly with potential tenants who are called to the entity’s offices at SKG Tower Building (Absa Building), 310 Pretorius Street, Pretoria CBD).
“I urge the public not to pay any money to individuals claiming to be representatives of Housing Company Tshwane. If approached by anyone claiming to be from Housing Company Tshwane and selling units, please report it to the Tshwane Fraud and Corruption Hotline on 080 874 9263,” he added.
His warning comes after the City recently said it was struggling to attract qualifying tenants from people in the low-income brackets for Phase 2 of the project.
The development was envisaged to have at least 1 200 mixed housing units to accommodate low-income earners.
More than 200 tenants have moved into new residences as part of Phase 1 of the project. Phase 2 consists of two-bedroom units and eligible applicants will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Applicants must be18 years of age or older, employed or self-employed, and be able to pay the monthly rent.
The development is aimed at assisting low-income earners to live closer to economic opportunities. Beneficiaries would have easier access to places of employment, transport routes, shopping malls and sports facilities.
Their proximity to workplaces, housing authorities said, would reduce travel time for most workers who spend 70% of their income on transport - according to a World Bank study.
The housing project was financed by the National Department of Human Settlements through its Social Housing Regulatory Authority and the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements through the Gauteng Partnership Fund. There was also a capital expenditure grant from the City of Tshwane.
Pretoria News