Two officials from the City of Cape Town are due in court for charges related to a R900,000 Mfuleni public housing scam that unfolded last year.
How two City of Cape Town officials allegedly pulled off the Mfuleni public housing scam
The arrest of four individuals marks a significant milestone in an extensive fraud investigation surrounding a housing development project in Mfuleni.
In a statement, police spokesperson Colonel Andrè Traut explained the crux of the investigation is centred on the fraudulent activities allegedly undertaken by two City of Cape Town officials, in cahoots with two other accomplices.
The suspects are accused of orchestrating a scheme that duped 11 prospective buyers into depositing substantial amounts of money for property plots made available for housing development in Ext 2 in Mfuleni by the City of Cape Town.
The elaborate scheme saw these unsuspecting buyers depositing large sums of money into a shared bank account, under the pretence of securing a piece of real estate.
However, the real estate ownership was never transferred to them, resulting in a collective financial loss of R900,000.
Col. Traut further lent credit to seasoned detectives from the Western Cape Commercial Crimes Unit who were instrumental in unearthing the fraudulent activities following a meticulous investigation initiated after allegations of fraud surfaced.
The two implicated City of Cape Town officials, aged 51 and 55, allegedly collaborated with two other individuals, aged 28 and 36, to market these plots fraudulently.
As the investigative net tightens, there’s a possibility of more arrests being made, hinting at a deeper rot possibly prevalent in the City of Cape Town’s Human Settlements Department.
The case is now set to be heard at the Blue Downs court, where the accused will face the charges levelled against them.