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Have a question you would like answered? Email us and we may answer it. The questions here are based on ones from our readers, with identifying information removed.

Please note: GroundUp is just a news agency. We are not lawyers or financial advisors, and we have nothing to do with SASSA, Home Affairs, or any other government bodies. We do our best to make the answers accurate using publicly available information, but we cannot accept any legal liability if there are errors. If you notice any discrepancies, please email [email protected].

Topic: Housing  |  Show questions and answers for all topics

My mother's employer was not paying her UIF and is now kicking us out of our home on her property.

It is illegal not to pay your domestic worker's UIF. Your mother should apply for social grants and housing.

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Can I be compensated for the money I spent on municipal services arrears of my late grandparents' house?

If you don't buy the house, your chances of recovering the money aren't very good.

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Can I list my niece as a dependant on my RDP application?

Yes, if she relies on you for financial support.

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I am disabled and my house is crumbling. What can I do?

The municipality should help you, but you may have better luck contacting a humanitarian organisation.

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Why does the online Housing Subsidy Portal say that my ID is not found even though I applied in 2015?

It could mean that the application was withdrawn by the municipality.

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Can someone with dementia write a valid will?

It depends on whether the person has testamentary capacity, which is explained below.

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If I settle on municipal land, can I negotiate with the municipality to buy it later?

No, it's illegal - the municipality would consider this as land invasion.

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How can you get a government house if you earn more than R3,500 a month?

If you earn between R3,500 and R22,000, you qualify for "gap" housing, like the Finance Linked Individual Subsidy Programme.

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Can disabled people get RDP houses?

Yes, the municipality is supposed to give preference to a disabled person applying for an RDP house.

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What are the rights of someone who has occupied a house after it was abandoned 20 years ago?

Under the PIE Act, you cannot be evicted without a court order. You might be able to transfer the house to your name.

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