By Phumlani Saul
RESIDENTS say corrupt housing officials and estate agents are running a scam and they’re targeting old people.
On Thursday, KwaNobuhle residents in Uitenhage clashed with the sheriff’s officials when they kicked a gogo out of her house.
The residents said the municipal housing officials and estate agents fraudulently sell the houses of the elderly and sick without their consent.
The old people got the four-roomed houses with big yards during the apartheid era.
Residents tried to stop the officials from removing gogo Nomathamsanqa Magwa (67) from her house but failed when cops arrived.
“I never put my house on sale,” the gogo told Daily Sun.
“But in September I got letters from the sheriff that I have to leave my house. I told the neighbours I didn’t put my house on sale and they advised me to stay in my house. They said they would protect me from the sheriff.”
She said the officials arrived and threw her clothes and furniture out of the house.
“Residents asked to see signed papers and the buyer of the house but when that didn’t happen they sent the officials away,” she said.
“But they came back with an army of cops and there was nothing the residents could do.”
Now gogo and her daughter are homeless.
“The officials said I sold my house for R150 000 but that’s a lie. I want to live here until I die. These evil officials robbed me of my house.”
An angry resident Nosamkelo Mehlwana (45) told Daily Sun that last year they sold the house of a 96-year-old madala.
“They lied and said it was him who put it on sale,” she said.
Nelson Mandela Bay spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said: “The community must talk to their ward councillor or the housing department to solve the problem.”
Gogo is temporarily living with neighbours.
Daily Kasi News 