Dealing with the high level of corruption in the awarding of low-cost houses has been a big challenge for a while. Now, the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements is planning to digitise the province’s waiting list for beneficiaries. It will be adopt a tamper-proof biometric system. MEC Jacob Mamabolo said this in a press statement recently.
There have been rampant reports of corrupt officials manipulating lists to give undeserving people houses in exchange for money. The situation is expected to get worse as the province is gearing up for increased demand for housing from both internal and foreign migrants and thousands of others expecting the department to provide them with low-cost rental housing and serviced stands.
According to Mamabolo, not all dwellers of an estimated Gauteng’s 625 informal settlements will qualify for RDP houses as some do not fall in the narrow salary bracket and would be better served with low-cost rental and serviced stands.
