PEARL RANTSEKENG
“Not 4 Sale, Not 4 Sale…” These markings, mostly painted in white paint, are a common sight in some houses in and around Soweto.
A pretty drastic move, but the only measure residents feel would help stop the vultures hovering around waiting to pounce on the vulnerable and most times uninformed homeowners.
In 2017, residents of Phiri and Senaone came together and took to the streets in protest.
They were complaining about the illegal evictions in their areas from unscrupulous dealers who sometimes collude with family members.
However, according to Head of the Joburg City’s Group Forensic and Investigation Services (GFIS), General Shadrack Sibiya, the illegal eviction of people in their homes is in most cases part of a wide spread and well-run scam that also includes the hijacking of buildings and houses by syndicates who target the elderly and the vulnerable.
Sibiya says, so far, over 870 buildings alone have been hijacked within the City of Joburg, including hundreds of houses in the township.
In the case of houses, explains Sibiya, the syndicates tend to target houses where they know the owner is an elderly person.
In most cases these elderly people are left with grandchildren who are minors.
“The minute the grandparent passes away these syndicates pounce and either claim to be the legal owners of the home or allege they bought the house from the late grandmother,” says Sibiya.
“They sometimes claim to be from the City and demand title deeds from these people. Or come show fake title deeds to the elderly purporting to be the owners and kick out the children.”
During the protest in Senaoane, one of the residents said a person had come to his home claiming to have bought the house from his father a year ago.
“That was puzzling for me because my dad had passed away about 10 years earlier,” explained the resident.
Sibiya has advised residents to be vigilant about who they give personal information to, and that if they suspect fraudulent activity with regards to their homes, can approach the city’s offices.
For hijacked properties contact: Jabulani Mphuthi on 081 587 8769 or Trevor Ramulumisi 0763318540.
Alternatively contact the Anti-Fraud and Corruption Hotline: 0800 002 587.
(SOURCE: INSIDE METROS)