• South Africans looking for affordable housing are the latest target for scammers.
• The Department of Human Settlements says scammers are pretending to be officials from the department on social media offering assistance and outright selling RDP houses.
• The DHS has asked citizens to exercise caution and report suspicious activity they encounter online.

Scammers are once again targeting the most vulnerable people in our society, this time targeting folks who are awaiting housing.

The Department of Human Settlements (DHS) has revealed that scammers are once again on the prowl, this time finding targets on social media platforms. The department warns that ne’er-do-wells are pretending to be employees offering assistance with subsidised housing applications. What’s more is that the department reports that these scammers are offering to sell RDP houses for as much as R100 000 on Facebook.

These scammers tend to set up accounts with names similar to officials or even official bodies such as the DHS in order to appear legitimate. They use photos that are relatively easy to find online and the account is generally gone almost as quickly as it was created.

If you come across such a page or account be careful of trusting it at face value. What we like to do is visit the official website of the government department in question and click the social media links they’ve embedded. Some government accounts have verification marks but many don’t, such as the DHS. If you spot a page pretending to be a government department or official, report it using the social network’s available tools.

The department has reiterated that, in order to qualify for subsidised government housing, a South African citizen must meet specific criteria including having a combined household income of less than R3 500 per month. One can’t buy their way into affordable housing as if they could, they wouldn’t need it.

“The Department emphasises that applications for RDP/BNG houses can only be processed through the Provincial Departments of Human Settlements and municipalities, and no organization[sic] is mandated to facilitate this on behalf of the government,” it added.

South Africans who encounter an offer for housing that seems too good to be true, or who see RDP houses for sale are advised to contact the Department of Human Settlements to either verify the authenticity of the offer or to report suspicious activity. The department can be contacted via email at info[at]dhs[dot]gov[dot]za or phoned on 0800 146 873. Alternatively, citizens can visit a local department office.

While we’re on the topic of subsidised housing, the Johannesburg Social Housing Company (Joshco) opened its social housing project Ridge on Abel in Berea on 4th October. The 12-story building features 155 rental using with prices ranging from R1 100 to R1 900 per month. Joshco provides rental options to Johannesburgers earning between R1 850 and R22 000 per month.

There are many options for those looking for affordable housing South Africa but unfortunately scammers tend to prey on a person’s desperation. If you still aren’t sure, ask a friend or as mentioned, pick up the phone and verify the information with the entity itself.

If you are looking for housing we recommend you use the official Department of Human Settlements website as a starting point.

[Image – Department of Human Settlements]