-The DA is exposing corruption in the housing allocation system in Rand West City.
-Members of the public are being approached to bribe municipal officials for a house allocation.
-This information was leaked by a whistleblower who provided it to the DA.
The DA uncovered brazen corruption in Rand West City’s housing allocation system over the past week.
A whistleblower enquiring about a housing allocation was given a bank account number by a housing department official to deposit R550. This person would then be allocated a house by skipping the queue.
Housing allocation has long been a major concern for many residents awaiting allocations.
Many have waited over twenty years for a house allocation and still live in informal settlements and backyard dwellings. Allowing bribes to expedite the process is unfair to the many residents who have waited patiently while suffering, and it is thwarting their chances of being provided a home.
Allegations of fraud in house allocations have persisted for years, and it seems the Department of Housing and the Randwest Local Municipality have simply overlooked it. These authorities know about the corruption and have done little to stop it. Many residents have complained about this practice over the years.
It is time to remove corrupt officials from the housing department.
We call on the MEC of Human Settlements to urgently investigate this matter.
By reviewing the account and tracing the various R550 payments, we will begin investigating the alleged corruption.
We are committed to ensuring fair and transparent housing delivery that empowers residents through ownership. I will begin by overhauling the housing allocation system to ensure a fair, transparent, and consistent process for all municipalities. This would include maintaining a current listing of housing opportunities, linking these to provincial and national housing opportunity databases, publicly posting eligibility requirements on housing websites, and setting up independent third-party oversight and regular audits of the system so that people can see how housing is allocated and have their confidence in the system’s operations restored.
Proper housing allocation will also create jobs by driving direct construction labor, activating localized supply chains, and strategically positioning residents near employment hubs.
We will not tolerate corruption. Corruption takes away the services our residents desperately need. We will monitor and hold the MEC and Executive Mayor accountable for any action in this matter.