A mother and her four children are left homeless after she was allegedly scammed out of her rent money by a couple in Lavender Hill.
Georgina Hans, 40, her one-year-old triplets and her 10-year-old daughter used to live with her boyfriend who she says was abusive.
“I could not take it anymore and I left with my four kids. I was looking around for a place to stay and a couple offered me a place in Village Heights informal settlement,” she explains.
She used her children’s Sassa grant money to pay R800 for the deposit and one month rent for the shack.
But her happiness was short-lived: “I spent three days in the house and then the owner of the house came to kick me out.
“She said she did not have an arrangement with the couple to rent out her house. They only had to look after it.”
TAKEN FOR A RIDE: Mother Georgina Hans, 40
Georgina says the
homeowner told her that she’d been away for a few months, but came to check up on the house after hearing that it was
occupied.
“I tried to explain that I paid to be there, but she said no, I must go and ask them for my money back.”
She says when she confronted the couple, they did not even try to deny that they scammed her: “They said they can’t pay me back because they had already used the money.”
The 40-year-old mom who is employed as a field worker for a fibre company, says she’s been without work since the lockdown started on 27 March.
“They are heartless,” she cries.
“That was money to buy food for my kids and they scammed me.”
KICKED TO THE KERB: Georgina and her four kids are homeless. Video: Velani Ludidi
Good Samaritan Mareldia Raven has since given the family a room to sleep in, but there is no bed or furniture.
“I have been in that situation before where I was out looking for a place to sleep, I know the pain,” says Mareldia.
“If she can find material to build, she can build a room at the back of my house.”
Georgina says she cannot go to the police as it will be her word against the couple, who could not be found this week.
Anyone who can assist with building materials and food can contact Georgina’s friend Vanessa on 078 467 0693
.