Ramaphosa warns against illegal sales and occupation of subsidised homes in KZN

President Cyril Ramaphosa has warned against the unlawful sale and occupation of subsidised houses, calling for greater transparency in housing allocations as families displaced by the 2022 KwaZulu-Natal floods continue to be relocated to permanent homes.

Ramaphosa made the remarks on Thursday during a visit to the Cornubia Integrated Human Settlements Project north of Durban, where government is providing permanent homes to families displaced by the devastating KwaZulu-Natal floods of April 2022.

This is an outstanding human settlements development, and we ask the community as well to reject the unlawful sale or occupation of subsidised houses.

The president said government would not allow subsidised houses to be sold unlawfully or occupied outside the proper allocation processes. He further emphasised the need for clear communication regarding housing lists and construction timelines to prevent the spread of rumours.

Any allegations of fraud, queue-jumping, unlawful occupation or interference with beneficiary lists must be reported and investigated. We ask the community to protect completed houses, public facilities and infrastructure.

The warning comes amid previous investigations and reports concerning the alleged fraudulent sale and allocation of subsidised housing in KwaZulu-Natal, including instances where houses intended for eligible beneficiaries were handed to unauthorised occupants. The president stated that the government is implementing measures to track allocations and prevent forced occupations.