View full media statement: Media Statement
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MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE CAUTIONED FROM NAMELESS INDIVIDUALS MASQUERADING AS REPRESENTATIVES OF THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
In response to a surge by nameless individuals masquerading as officials from the Housing Development Agency (HDA) and exploiting innocent members of the public, the human
settlements entity, mandated with identify, acquiring, preparing, and developing suitable land for human settlement development will launch an anti-fraud and corruption campaign to
caution members of the public from falling victim to these potential scams.
The HDA and all their officials categorically distance themselves from these felonious individuals and activities. The HDA launches a multifaceted campaign aimed at warning and
educating South Africans about these illegal activities aimed at unlawfully soliciting funds from them using the entity’s name.
The anti-fraud and corruption campaign, under the theme: “The HDA, Building Trust, Preventing Fraud, Corruption, and Exploitation”, will create awareness amongst members of
the public about the various ways used by these scammers, including the use of fake accounts on social media platforms, luring unsuspecting individuals to pay for services provided by HDA free of charge.
These scammers use fake social media pages posing as HDA representatives and spread fake information regarding the allocation of government-subsidised houses, and selling of
houses and/or land, thereby robbing unsuspecting individuals. These scammers also claim to provide the public with assistance to apply for government-subsidised houses.
“No HDA official will offer or sell you a house in exchange for money. If bribery is discovered, any implicated person or persons must be reported to the relevant authority. Corruption has no place in the HDA. We are committed to building trust with our stakeholders and ensuring that our operations reflect the highest standard of integrity,” said the HDA Chief Executive
Officer, Mr. Bheki Khenisa.
The public is also reminded that applications for government subsidised housing can only be done at the provincial departments of Human Settlements and in municipalities. No individual or private organisation is mandated to facilitate this on behalf of the HDA. Therefore, through this campaign, continuous efforts and activities will be implemented to raise awareness through the media and other public engagement platforms warning the public about these illegal operations. This matter has also been reported to the law enforcement agencies.
The qualification criteria for a fully subsidised government house include, amongst others, that a person must be a South African citizen, be a first-time homeowner and earn a combined household income of less than R3501.00 per month. Members of the public are encouraged to always verify suspicious BNG/RDP social media
accounts and messages, with the relevant offices. For any fraudulent/scamming activity, contact the independent hotline services at hda@whistleblowing.co.za or call 0800 111 409 or WHATSAPP CHATBOT & CALL - 031 308 4664 or SMS: 33490.
The HDA #RebuildHDA #BuildingTrust, #CombatingCorruption,
#TransparencyinAction.
Additionally, you may report acts of corruption and fraud to the following institutions:
DHS Special Investigations Directorate: 012 421 1535/1641
DHS Call Centre: 0800 146 873
Human Settlements Ombudsman: 0800 146 873
National Anti-Corruption Hotline: 0800 701 701
The Public Protector South Africa: 0800 11 20 40
The Presidential Hotline: 17737
The HAWKS: 012 846 4590
Or the nearest South African Police Service Station
