MEC intervenes on a house battle

Gauteng MEC for Housing Ms Nomvula Mokonyane has intervened to help a pensioner to get her house back.

The intervention was prompted by the daily newspaper, Sowetan which run a story on the plight of the 64 year old Ms Lwanisa Ngoveni. The pensioner from Pimville, Soweto lost her house after her tenant James Mongwe who was left to look after the house allegedly registered the house in his name.

This was after the pensioner had left for Limpopo to bury her late husband. Apparently Ms Ngoveni could not come back to Jo'burg immediately after the funeral as she had other things to attend to but she kept in touch with Mongwe.

She would come once in a while to check the house. In 1998 when she came back she was told by Mongwe that she can not occupy the house because the house now belongs to him. Mongwe is also in possession of a title deed that states that he is the owner of the house.

In hearing what had transpired, the MEC decided to visit the house. The MEC has discovered that Ngoveni is in possession of documents that indicate that the court has decided to give Mongwe the house, because Ngoveni's husband intended to give him the house before he died.

In the document, Mongwe also claims that he tried to trace Ngoveni but did not succeed, concealing the fact that he knows that Ngoveni is in Limpopo.

The MEC then decided to involve the Transfer of Housing Properties team (TORPS). The TORPS team will help the pensioner by appointing a legal team which will help her to appeal against the court ruling to give the house to Mongwe. The MEC also advised Ngoveni to apply for a restriction order against Mongwe and his family because the woman said that she is constantly abused verbally.