Longstanding tenants of Kagiso, Wimpy, and Kamogelo Flats in Mahikeng have accused the North West Housing Corporation (NWHC) of reneging on promises to sell them the flats they have called home for decades, with residents alleging an attempt by insiders to hijack the properties for personal gain.
Feeling betrayed by state institutions, the tenants have vowed to mobilise the Mafikeng community. They plan to seek legal recourse and escalate their grievances. This after what they describe as years of dishonesty and broken commitments.
“We believe these actions are driven by individuals with vested interests, seeking to hijack the flats for personal enrichment,” the tenants said in a statement issued through the Joint Tenants Committee (JTC) chairperson, Daddy Sebolecwe.
Violation of rights
“This is more than a breach of contract — it is a violation of transparency, fairness, and accountability.”
According to the tenants, the dispute dates back to 2021 when they entered into lease agreements with NWHC. They had been assured that the corporation would complete the process of sectionalisation within three months. Upon completion, tenants were told they would be able to purchase the flats. Their rental payments deducted from the final purchase price.
“This commitment was not only verbally communicated to us by the corporation’s CEO at the time. It was unequivocally pronounced by Sello Mogodiri during a public meeting in 2024,” the statement reads, referring to current NWHC CEO, Mogodiri.
The arrangement was further supported by former North West Premier, Professor Tebogo Job Mokgoro. He said so during his 2021 State of the Province Address.
Sectionalisation was completed as scheduled, and tenants say they paid their rentals consistently. Some even settled the full agreed purchase price in advance. Offers to purchase were drafted and discussed in multiple meetings between the JTC and NWHC Board.
U-turn on signed agreements
However, instead of finalising the sales, tenants allege that the corporation “has gone silent and appointed debt collectors from Gauteng to demand ‘rental arrears’.” The JTC describes this move as “a shocking betrayal of trust and a clear act of bullying against tenants who have waited patiently to own their homes.”
The statement goes further, suggesting that certain officials are profiting at the expense of ordinary tenants.
“While tenants have been sidelined, we have witnessed NWHC and the government, through the MECs and Premier, issuing title deeds and selling properties to ‘preferred’ individuals, including insiders within the corporation itself,” the JTC claims.
Tenants argue that they have maintained the flats at their own cost since as far back as 2012. They were paying municipal services, security, and handling maintenance without any support from NWHC.
“Our government should be grateful for tenants acting responsibly. But instead they become punitive,” the statement says.
Value deteriorating
The flats themselves have deteriorated in value. With independent valuations from 2020/21 showing a drop from R31.7-million to R18.4 million. Some flats, tenants say, were destroyed during fires triggered by load-shedding. And have never been rebuilt. Yet the NWHC “continues to resist revisiting the selling prices in line with the deteriorating conditions.”
Feeling “forced to defend ourselves against our own government,” the tenants say they have exhausted all channels.
“We have written numerous letters to different institutions for their intervention,” the JTC notes. They are referencing the Human Rights Commission, North West Tribunal, Public Protector, and others. The tenants singled out Minister Thembisile Simelane for her swift response. They aalso commended former North West Legislature Speaker Thandi Modise for her efforts to protect the flats.
Ultimately, tenants indicate that “our patience is exhausted. The only option left is to mobilise the community of Mahikeng to support this just cause and defend the little infrastructure we have left for future generations”.
They add, “We feel betrayed by our government and are with no option but to approach the court of law for justice. As also advised by the institution we have written to for intervention.”
For now, the tenants are calling on Mahikeng and the broader North West province to “join us in resisting corruption and looting disguised as governance. This struggle is not just about flats. It is about protecting the rights, dignity, and property of ordinary citizens.”
