Andile* had heard about a guy who could get you onto the waiting list for an RDP house and then bumped up on that list too. All it would cost was R5 000 in cash upfront, and then within a week, this guy said they’d be in their new RDP home. It sounded like a dream come true! uMama was getting old, and her medicine was expensive. As her son, he knew he needed to look after her. But something was worrying him. uBaba always said if it sounded too good to be true, it probably was. Andile wants to believe this guy can get him an RDP house, but he’s just not sure. Should he hand over the money and wish for the best?
Scorpion Legal Protection’s advice
No, definitely not. Andile should take uBaba’s advice and watch out, because this is probably a scam. There are specific criteria you must meet to qualify for an RDP house.
You must:
- Earn less than R3500.01 per month per household (before deductions)
- Be a South African citizen (but there are areas within the Republic that allow foreign nationals to apply if they meet certain requirements)
- Be married or live with a long-term partner (habitually co-habit with a partner) or be single but have financial dependants; or a single military veteran without financial dependants; or a single aged person without financial dependants
- Be 21 or older
- Be contractually capable, i.e. legally able to sign a contract. A number of classes of people lack contractual capacity. These include minors, the mentally challenged, those under the influence of an intoxicating substance and incarcerated convicts
- Be a first-time government subsidy recipient
- Be a first-time homeowner
These conditions can change at any time though, and you should contact your provincial Housing Department for the latest qualifying criteria.
Next, it’s important to know that RDP houses can’t be bought. You can only buy an RDP house from someone after they have had it for 8 years or more. If someone tells you to pay a fee to get onto the waiting list – watch out, it’s a scam! You don’t need to pay, and paying a fee won’t ‘bump’ you up on the list! Rather deal directly with the Housing Department in your province.
When you apply, you’ll receive proof of registration, which is ‘Form C’. This form shows the date on which you applied and your application number. To check if your name appears on the provincial waiting list, take this form to your nearest Housing Department satellite office or provincial office. Once your name is on this list, the process has begun.
Tips:
- Scammers are everywhere, watch out. Anyone who asks you to pay any fee upfront or otherwise is probably just going to take your money and run
- There’s a specific process involved in getting an RDP house. Remember, they’re meant for the poorest citizens of South Africa, not for people who want to save money on buying a house
- You can get an application form to be put on the RDP house waiting list at your nearest Department of Housing office
If you have a query, follow us on our Facebook page and ask your question during our next Live Q&A (every first Thursday of the month).
* This is only basic advice and cannot be relied on solely. Names have been changed to protect identity.