Daily Sun (July 1 2014) - FOR the first time in my life, I was the proud owner of my own piece of land.
But my joy didn't last long. My dreams, along with my R10, soon disappeared.
I WAS NOT A LANDOWNER. I WAS JUST THE VICTIM OF A HEARTLESS SCAM.
Two weeks ago I heard about land being sold for R10 a plot at a new development called Marikana outside Poortjie near Lenasia, west of Joburg. When I got there, hundreds of people had already gathered to buy land and I joined the long queue with a copy of my ID and a R10 note in my hand. After giving them my details I waited for hours.
A woman waiting with me said: "I believe this will work, but if it doesn't I will only have lost R10."
While we waited, entrepreneurs saw a chance to make money, transporting people to stands and selling food.
One man charged R400 to clean the site. "My services are in demand, so if you want me to help you, you must speak up," he said. The man who sold the stands, a Mr Nkosi from a business known only as Nkosi Sincede Corporation, said he is tired of seeing people suffer. "This is a way to give them something they will always have, a piece of their own land," said Nkosi.
"People don't need to pay thousands in order to have a place to call home."
Names were read from cards in a box and finally my name was called. I was allocated my own stand, which I was told was about 6km away. There was no paperwork involved and there were no stand numbers. The copy of my ID was thrown into a big black plastic bag. When I got to the stand I found it was surprisingly large. It was big enough for four rooms, two outside rooms, a small garden and an outside toilet. For just a short while I was a happy landowner.
But then I spoke to Motsamai Motlhaolwa from the Gauteng department of local government and housing, who confirmed the project was a scam.
"We will conduct our own investigation, but the land does not belong to the people selling it," said Motsamai.
He sent an official response to Daily Sun. "We want to condemn this act of criminality and self-enrichment," said the comment. "We call upon residents to stop buying the stands because the sellers are not the rightful owners of the land. We have activated our anti-fraud and corruption unit, who will work with law enforcement agencies and the City of Joburg to curb this illegal practice."
See the Daily Sun mobi site for more on this and other stories....
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