City of Joburg Cautions Residents Of Soweto About Syndicates Hijacking Homes

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