Swapo shack fires: South Africans ‘fronting’ for foreigners to secure government aid – Duma
According to Duma, a foreign national was the landlord of the shacks and charged R250 per shack with illegal electricity connections.
A devastating fire razed at least 20 shacks in the Swapo Informal Settlement of Copsville, Pietermaritzburg on Saturday. The tragedy claimed the life of a woman and her partner, who survived. South African Transport and Human Settlements MEC Siboniso Duma expressed his appreciation for the uMsunduzi Municipality’s quick response.
Duma revealed that a foreign landlord was responsible for the shacks, charging R250 per shack for illegal electricity connections. His investigation found that 19 occupants were foreign nationals, while a South African with a questionable ID also lived in a destroyed shack. The government will not provide emergency housing assistance to the affected community members, Duma stated.
“We are working with the Department of Home Affairs to confirm the legitimacy of the ID held by one South African,” he added. Duma emphasized that foreign nationals will never be eligible for emergency housing aid, building supplies, or RDP houses, adhering to government policy. This decision stems from the department losing more than R2 billion due to fraud involving the sale and rental of RDP houses to foreigners.
This loss encompasses land acquisition, rezoning, housing plans, environmental assessments, legal paperwork, infrastructure expenses, and construction. Duma emphasized that it takes years for the state to build such houses, and they must remain in the hands of South Africans.
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