Cato Manor housing fraudster jailed
|Published
KZN Transport MEC, Mxolisi Kaunda. Picture supplied by KZN Department of Transport KZN Transport MEC, Mxolisi Kaunda. Picture supplied by KZN Department of Transport
Durban - Zithulele Zondi, who conned 180 people shack dwellers in eThekwini out of their cash while pretending to be a housing official, was jailed for three years for fraud in the Durban Magistrate Court.
Mxolisi Kaunda, the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Transport, Community Safety and Liaison, said Zondi had asked over 180 people who lived in shacks in and around eThekwini to pay him R220 so that the municipality can build them houses.
"When the police were alerted to the scam, they acted swiftly and arrested him. During the arrest, he was found in possession of Abahlali Basemjondolo’s membership forms. Abahlali distanced themselves from Zondi who once acted as their branch organiser," he said.
The victims, all from Bonela in Cato Manor had been embroiled in a land grab in the area where municipal officials returned a number of times to demolish shacks they had erected illegally.
In welcoming the sentence, Kaunda said this will send a strong message to criminals who are taking advantage of the plight of landless people.
Kaunda urged the people of KwaZulu-Natal to be vigilant of dubious organisations and people who claim to represent their interests. He said that such fraudulent practices create expectations from poor people which ultimately leads to illegal public protests.
“As the provincial government, we remain committed in assisting landless and homeless people to get proper houses. Since 1994 government has been able to build over 4 million houses for the poor. While great strides have been made in this regard, we are fully aware that there is still a huge backlog. We call upon people to be patient. The KwaZulu-Natal government is working with local municipalities to fast track the delivery of houses to all,” said Kaunda.
He also warned organisations and individuals who are at the centre of land invasions in the province that government will not tolerate such acts of criminality.
“Government has a clear process on how people are allocated houses and we urge people to follow that process. “If they need clarity they must get in touch with their councillors, municipalities and the department of human settlement in the province,” Kaunda said.