The Hawks are urging other people who have information on the selling of RDP houses to contact them urgently on 071 481 3069.
Corruption in the sale of RDP houses has hit Mpumalanga’s best-run municipality – the Steve Tshwete local municipality in Middelburg, with an official arrested for making over R700 000 in the spree.
The eMalahleni local municipality in Witbank was recently hit by the same crime, with officials said to be removing beneficiaries from a list and putting in people who have paid them money.
Currently an ANC councillor in the Pixley ka Seme local municipality in Volksrust is spending more than a year in jail now, accused of selling RDP houses.
SEE HERE: Pixley ka Seme councillor Obed Shabangu still languishing in jail
An employee in the Steve Tshwete local municipality identified as 43-year-old Sylvia Nyandeni was arrested by the Hawks Wednesday 22 July 2020 for allegedly selling 40 RDP houses in the Middelburg area.
Hawks spokeswoman Captain Dineo Sekgotodi said Nyandeni appeared at the Middelburg Magistrates Court faced with 40 counts of fraud.
She said a number of people reported Nyandeni as she continued to tell people to allegedly pay her if they needed RDP houses.
Sekgotodi said the homes were to be built in Rockdale, Middelburg and “Nyandeni told the victims to pay deposits before they could obtain their houses”.
“Almost R700 000 was deposited into Nyandeni’s and her co-accused’s bank accounts,” the Hawks spokeswoman said this week.
Sekgotodi said the co-accused was not able to come to court as he was sick.
ALSO SEE: Hessy Maseko accused of selling RDP houses
“The fraud was reported to the Hawks in 2019 and investigations led to her arrest last week,” she said.
Nyandeni’s case at the Middelburg Magistrate Court is returning on 20 August 2020.
She is expected to appear with her co-accused.
“We are urging all other victims who might have fallen victim to this Middelburg scam to report the matter to us on 071 481 3069,” the Hawks said.
(edited by MLM)
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