KEY POINTS
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A woman was arrested after voluntarily confessing to running an RDP housing scam and collecting over R100,000 from unsuspecting residents.
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She allegedly promised to fast-track government housing applications in exchange for money, violating public trust and preying on vulnerable citizens.
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The Gauteng Human Settlements Department warned the public to remain vigilant and reaffirmed that no legitimate housing service requires payment.
A woman who allegedly orchestrated a fraudulent housing scheme has been arrested after walking into the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements office and reportedly confessing to collecting over R100,000 from desperate residents.
The woman claimed she could help applicants jump the housing queue and secure RDP (Reconstruction and Development Programme) houses by fast-tracking their applications for a fee. Her confession came earlier this week when she approached a senior official at the department’s customer support centre and revealed her role in the scam.
Sowetanlive reports that Authorities were immediately alerted. In a swift joint operation between the Gauteng Human Settlements Department and the Ekurhuleni Metro Police, the woman was apprehended and taken into police custody. She now faces multiple charges of fraud.
Exposing housing corruption in plain sight
The arrest has reignited public concern about ongoing housing scams that exploit vulnerable citizens desperately waiting for government assistance. Human Settlements MEC Tasneem Motara praised the integrity of the department official who reported the incident instead of being tempted to participate in the scam.
“I commend the official who acted responsibly and was not tempted to get involved in corrupt activity herself,” said Motara. “We are serious about cracking down on corruption and fraud, especially those who are trying to take advantage of citizens who have a real need to be allocated [housing] as soon as possible.”
The department has reiterated that all housing-related services are free of charge and that no payment is required to access RDP or Breaking New Ground (BNG) housing projects. It warned residents to remain vigilant and avoid dealing with individuals claiming to be officials or intermediaries.
“Please be aware of unscrupulous individuals who pose as officials from the Gauteng department of human settlement — falsely claiming to be MECs or heads of department to deceive and extort money from the public,” the department emphasized in a statement.
Cases like this underscore the growing need for public education about how official housing processes work and the importance of reporting suspected fraud. The department urged victims of similar scams to come forward.
As the investigation continues, police have not ruled out further arrests. Authorities believe the suspect may be linked to other fraudulent schemes, and additional victims are encouraged to provide information that may assist the probe.
