City of Cape Town warns residents against latest housing scam

The City of Cape Town has warned residents about a scam that requires them to pay to register on the City’s Housing Needs Register for a government housing Breaking New Ground (BNG) opportunity or a plot of City-owned land. 

The warning comes after an applicant received an email advising that she would receive a title deed for a house in Watergate, Mitchells Plain if she paid a sum of money. 

CITY OF CAPE TOWN WARNS AGAINST HOUSING SCAM 

The City said residents are asked to pay to register on its Housing Needs Register for a government housing Breaking New Ground (BNG) opportunity or a plot of City-owned land, they are being scammed. If the opportunity is advertised as a ‘RDP house’, they are being scammed. Lastly, if the correspondence does not have a City letterhead, they are being scammed.

Residents and applicants looking for government housing have been encouraged to be aware of scams as these types of cases happen regularly and impact the most desperate, vulnerable residents.

ALSO READ: MyCiti bus services to link Khayelitsha with Claremont, Wynberg

City of Cape Town Acting Mayoral Committee Member for Human Settlements, Alderman James Vos reiterated that qualifying beneficiaries are reminded again that they do not need to pay to register on the Housing Needs Register or to receive a subsidy housing opportunity. 

Vos said the Register, which is protected, updated and audited, is necessary to prevent queue-jumping and to provide opportunities in a fair, ordered manner. 

“This is important given the acute need for housing opportunities across the metro. We have unfortunately been made aware of a number of these cases taking place in areas across the metro in recent weeks and months and we encourage our residents and beneficiaries to also contact the City should they be concerned this is the case,” he said. 

ALSO READ:  City of Cape Town’ shields’ residents against electricity hike

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ARTICLES BY NOKWANDA NCWANE