The North West MEC for local government and human settlements Fenny Gaolaolwe has registered a case of trespassing against a local top cop for refusing to vacate an RDP house belonging to an impoverished woman.

The MEC stepped into the matter after reading in Sowetan about the plight of Tsholofelo Molefe, 34, of Groot Marico near Zeerust.

Molefe had been fighting a lonely battle for years over her state-issued house which is now occupied by station commander Margaret Mokgatlhe.

Mokgatlhe "inherited" the house from her now late boyfriend, who had occupied the house ahead of its legal owner, Molefe.

She had been fighting to evict Mokgatlhe since 2015. The top cop claimed her lover had spent a fortune renovating the house.

Molefe reported the matter to the public protector who ruled that the house must be returned to her.

Yesterday, Gaolaolwe said she could not allow the matter to drag on.

"I [have] opened a case against the station commander," the MEC said.

Her spokesman Ben Bole said they investigated the matter after Sowetan's report and found out the house indeed belonged to Molefe.

"In our view the station commander does not qualify, that is why the MEC has opened a case against her," Bole said.

He said they would also find out how the house allocated to Molefe ended up being occupied by the now deceased man. He said such problems were widespread in the area.

"We first get a number of beneficiaries from the municipality before we build the house[s]. We even know whose house we were building for, and house number 1152 belonged to Molefe."

Molefe, who now rents a backroom for R600 a month, said she would be happy only when the house is returned to her before the end of winter.

"I have put my trust in God. I believe that the MEC will help me get it back," she said.

Mokgatlhe could not be reached for comment.

North West police spokesman Brigadier Sabata Mokgwabone said they were investigating the "case of trespassing against the station commander".