A suspected kingpin accused of illegally accessing emergency housing funds in KwaZulu-Natal is expected to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
The suspect was arrested during an investigation into alleged fraud and corruption linked to RDP housing allocations and disaster relief funding intended for victims of devastating floods in the province.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Human Settlements says investigations are ongoing in several municipalities, including Alfred Duma Local Municipality, Jozini, KwaDukuza, Nquthu and Inkosi Mtubatuba Local Municipality.
Department spokesperson Ndabezinhle Sibiya said investigators had uncovered what they believe to be a syndicate involved in the unlawful allocation of houses and title deeds to unqualified beneficiaries.
According to Sibiya, the probe has implicated mayors, councillors and municipal officials accused of bypassing official processes to allocate RDP houses and title deeds unlawfully.
“In particular, there are mayors, councillors and officials who have bypassed the department and clandestinely rushed to hand over houses and title deeds to unqualified individuals,” Sibiya said.
He further alleged that some of the properties had been allocated to undocumented foreign nationals, friends and relatives of officials.
Sibiya said Siboniso Duma had vowed that authorities would “arrest, name and shame” individuals involved in corruption within municipal housing programmes.
The latest developments follow earlier allegations raised by the civic movement March and March, which claimed RDP houses in northern KwaZulu-Natal were being illegally sold to undocumented foreign nationals and allegedly used for criminal activities.
Last year, Duma warned that the department would act decisively if evidence emerged confirming the illegal sale of RDP homes.
Officials also reiterated that it is illegal to sell an RDP house within eight years of allocation and warned that beneficiaries found guilty could lose their homes.
The department has urged residents to report illegal sales or abuse of RDP housing through its hotline and WhatsApp channels as investigations continue.