• Tweet

RELATED ARTICLES

• Overcrowding forces people to have sex in field
• Finetown still waits for completed houses
• 'The government is failing us'
• I don't want thieves in my department - Sexwale
• Slipshod RDP houses
• Unfinished RDP houses leave residents fuming
• RDP houses used as Spaza shops
• Smiles for destitute family
• Residents burn toilets in protest
• R57m toilet foul-up
• Squatters rebuild shacks
• Protector probing RDP houses, taxis

Chris Matlala, a former project administrator at the Gauteng department of local government and housing, was convicted and sentenced in the Krugersdorp Magistrate's Court yesterday.

He was arrested in 2009 after the would-be beneficiary blew the whistle on him.

Matlala had phoned the complainant requesting a meeting in his office, where he informed the beneficiary that his name did not appear in the system.

Matlala promised the beneficiary that he could sort out the problem for a fee.

Members of the West Rand organised crime unit quickly swooped in and arrested Matlala.

Reacting to Matlala's sentence, local government and housing department head Mongezi Mnyani said: "We are serious in dealing with corruption within the department.

"We want to keep the integrity of the department intact.

"If we don't deal with corrupt officials we are sending the wrong message to the general public that the quickest way to get your RDP is when you pay a bribe.

"We are encouraged to do more with such corrupt elements when the justice system takes its course without any compromise.

"The fact that four officials have been sentenced in the current year demonstrates our commitment to rid our system of such people."

He said the public should work with the authorities to uproot "unscrupulous tendencies".

"We are always ready to listen to those who come forward with information that will help us in our quest to deal with corruption.

"When people are being made to pay for RDP homes, they must report those people immediately", Mnyani said.

- moengk@sowetan.co.za

Comments

• Sign in or sign up to comment

Tue May 21 18:01:22 SAST 2013 ::

Jul 31, 2012

Dismooi

Provide us with the number that we can report RDP fraud because if you can look around in our locations the is more houses that i not roofing because they failed. Our councillors are irresponsible.
Report Abuse

Jul 31, 2012

MorenaWaPolelo

Get the corrupt rats this Programme Administrators is lastag get them
Report Abuse

Jul 31, 2012

malemaforpresident

Reacting to Matlala's sentence, local government and housing department head Mongezi Mnyani said: "We are serious in dealing with corruption within the department
=====================================================
Mnyani wa nyeeela ftsheek what is 4 years this is just a drop in the ocean South africa does not take corruption as a serious offence next year he may be released
Report Abuse

Jul 31, 2012

MAGOROMETJA

What was a four year sentence after all. Cos they will be out by Msholozi's parolle. Most people have registered for these match boxes called RDP houses for more than 12 years. Mxm le bapala ka rona lona di kelem
Report Abuse

Jul 31, 2012

Keafixa

1 official out of how mani....we need more arrests.one is not enaf
Report Abuse

Aug 1, 2012

Lehoes

Baholwane from Lesotho occupies RDPs in bloem-FUN-teng and nothing is done about it because they are also bribing the councillors. I wonder how does a person sleep at night knowng that he did something wrong because stealing from the poor is like Blood money
Report Abuse

Aug 1, 2012

KEKGATHETSE

mxm! nxaaa!
Report Abuse

Aug 2, 2012

CB045

"If we don't deal with corrupt officials we are sending the wrong message to the general public that the quickest way to get your RDP is when you pay a bribe.

I am confused! So this corrupt official is not deployed elsewhere to bribe? I hope he can also be transferred to hospital and released from prison due to shock from being discovered. I thought he was generating extra revenue for the government.
So when it comes to election time, it isnot a bribe to hand out food parcels in order to get votes? Aaih! It is so hard when one is a little clever. If I was stupid, I would have less worries. Viva! ANC. Viva! DA.
Report Abuse

Read all 8 comments