The family of the convicted fraudster Samuel Cupido still lives in a municipal house in a very expensive area of ??Paarl.
Cupido was found guilty after being arrested for fraud in 2006, along with three other municipal workers and a woman. They defrauded municipal stores of more than R3 million.
Following an internal investigation, Cupido’s employment was terminated by the Drakenstein Municipality in 2019, which also meant he and his family had to vacate the municipal property.
Residents of the area are also concerned about the derelict state the historic house and property in general are in, high up on the slopes of Paarl Mountain.
Seraj Johaar, Director of Corporate Services at the municipality, admitted that the family was living in the old mill house illegally, but apparently without Cupido.
Johaar said an eviction application had cited Cupido as an unlawful occupant. But during the national lockdown eviction processes were severely impacted.
This year, Cupido voluntarily vacated the property, but his estranged wife and children remain on the property, and they refuse to vacate.
Johaar said they are subject to the same eviction application.
“The High Court has previously granted postponements and the opportunity for the unlawful occupiers to obtain legal representation.
“The municipality is actively managing the eviction process within the current constraints.”
Johaar said the property was valued at only R560 000 at the last municipal valuation.
