I lost my proof of an RDP application. What should I do?

The long answer

Thank you for your email asking how you can get an RDP house for you and your four daughters after applying in 1999 and then re-applying in 2012 after you lost the proof of your 1999 application.

It does take a very long time to get an RDP house, but you should not have had to wait for as long as you have. You are right that even if you lost your proof of applying in 1999, the municipality should have been able to give you a copy, rather than you having to apply again. But since you did reapply in 2012, that is probably the date that they will have for your application now.

You could be listed either on the Municipal Housing Demand Database or your province’s Housing Needs Register.

To check how far you are on the waiting list for a house, you can call 0800 146 873 or go to your municipality’s website. You can also check whether you are on the provincial housing list by entering your ID number at this website: www.ndd.co.za.

You can phone Housing Enquiries Hotline: 0800 146 873

Western Cape: 079 769 1207 (Please Call Me)

You could take your 2012 proof of application to the municipality and explain your desperate circumstances, and ask them to assist you.

If they don’t assist you, you could contact the MEC for Housing (Tertius Simmers) and explain your situation. The MEC in every province has the power to review applications on an individual basis.

The Human Settlements Western Cape telephone number is 021 483 6488 / 3112 / 0623 / 0611. The email address is human.settlements@westerncape.gov.za

You should always keep a note of when you contact them, and the name of the person you spoke to. You may have to be very persistent and keep trying, as there is a big housing backlog.