The City of Cape Town has alerted residents of Belhar, particularly those benefiting from its housing opportunities, to a scam involving fraudulent letters requesting payment for such opportunities.
Poorly written
“The City’s Human Settlements Directorate is aware of a poorly written letter or email currently in circulation targeting potential beneficiaries in Belhar and surrounding areas, falsely claiming that recipients must make payment to secure a housing opportunity. The letter contains spelling errors and makes reference to ‘RDP houses’. Residents are reminded that this is outdated terminology and is no longer used in the City’s housing programmes. Residents are urged to remain vigilant, to treat any such communication with extreme caution and report these to the City as soon as possible.
“If you are asked to pay for any housing opportunity it is a scam,” said Mayco Member for Human Settlements Carl Pophaim. “The City does not charge for housing opportunities, and no official process requires payment at any stage. Do not make any payments or share personal information with unknown individuals. The City reiterates that its housing opportunities are free, and qualifying residents will never be asked to pay for placement on the City’s Housing Needs Register nor for allocation of housing opportunities or any other related housing service.”
Legitimate communication
All legitimate communication about City housing opportunities will come directly from its officials, through formal and verifiable channels. If in doubt, residents can always contact the City’s Human Settlements Call Centre on 021 444 0333. Beneficiaries are reminded to keep their housing-registration details up to date. They must visit the City’s housing offices or use official channels to update their contact information.
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