Andile Komani of Philippi has opened a case of fraud against ANC ward councillor Fikiswa Nkunzana for allegedly deceiving him into paying R80 000 for a house belonging to someone else.
Mr Komani alleged that the councillor swindled him out of his money which he had saved for years to buy a house for his family.
Talking to Vukani, Mr Komani said he met Ms Nkunzana at the beginning of February in 2014 and informed her that he had plans of buying a house in cash, but he did not know what procedures he needed to follow in order to purchase the house.
“The councillor promised to assist me in looking for a house and the steps which I needed to follow when buying a house. Three days later I received a call from Ms Nkunzana informing me that she had found a house in Zazulwana Street in Philippi.
The councillor introduced me to a gentleman by the name of Mr Zolani, the alleged owner of the house. They then took me to view the house and I was satisfied with the house,” he said.
Mr Komani said they then went to Century City to a company which Ms Nkunzana said deals with issues of changing title deeds. “Ms Nkunzana asked me to bring along a marriage certificate, my childrens birth certificates, and my wife’s ID and mine as well,” he said.
But, he claimed, Ms Nkunzana advised him that before the house could be registered into his name, he had to deposit an amount of R68 000 into an account which she gave him.
He alleged that Ms Nkunzana further said he had to withdraw an additional amount of R12 000 of which R10 000 was to be given to the agent who was assisting them. The rest, the R2 000 was to be handed to Mr Zolani, he said.
Mr Komani explained that when he made the transaction, Mr Zolani was not present, but the councillor assured him not to worry.
“I discovered three months later, after I had bought the house, that it had been sold to me fraudulently by the councillor. The real owner of the house came to me and informed me that I had bought his house which he never sold and he showed me some documents proving that he was the legitimate owner of the house.
“I phoned the councillor countless times to ask her to pay back my money, but she never responded to my calls, hence I opted to open a case against her,” Mr Komani said.
Mr Komani said he trusted the councillor because she was a government representative and he never thought that she would double-cross him.
Captain Ntomboxolo Sitshitshi, the communications officer of Nyanga police station, confirmed to Vukani that a case of fraud had been opened against Ms Nkunzana.
“A case of fraud is being investigated,” she said.
When Vukani contacted Ms Nkunzana for comment, she said: “The matter is with the courts. I won’t be able to comment and will allow the law to take its course.”