Central SA
Free State family receive late sister’s house years after wrongful allocation─── KEKELETSO MOSEBETSI 15:42 Thu, 10 Jul 2025

A Free State family has finally reclaimed a house that belonged to their late sister, years after it was wrongfully allocated during a controversial political campaign.
On Thursday (10/7), Free State MEC for Traditional Affairs and Human Settlements Saki Mokoena, together with Free State Premier MaQueen Letsoha-Mathae and representatives from the Public Protector’s office, officially handed over the house in Hillside View, Bloemfontein, to the rightful heirs of the deceased.
The rectification comes in the wake of a damning report by the Public Protector which revealed political abuse of state housing resources during the 2022 ANC Letsema campaign. Former Premier Sisi Ntombela was found guilty of misusing government resources for political purposes when she presided over the improper handover of the house to Lerato Ntsaku on April 23, 2022, despite being an approved beneficiary for the house in Freedom Square.
The complaint was initially brought forward by Free State DA leader Dr. Roy Jankielsohn, who raised concerns about the misuse of state-funded housing during political campaigns. The investigation confirmed that Ntombela, with the assistance of Human Settlements officials, orchestrated the misallocation in an attempt to sway voters.
Arnold Burgees, the brother of the deceased, who passed away in 2017, said the moment was bittersweet. “She never knew about her house before she passed away in 2017.
“She stayed in the old age home without knowing there was a house waiting for her here. The department found us because we didn’t know anything about this house, nothing.
“The department found us last year in December and told us this is the house of your sister,” he said, visibly emotional. Ntsaku, who had unknowingly lived in the wrong house, also shared her experience of the emotional turmoil caused by the error.
“I went through a lot after finding out that the house was wrongfully allocated to me,” Ntsaku said. “But I’m very pleased that a new house has now been allocated to me formally, and it’s also under my name.”
Mokoena acknowledged that the original intention behind placing Ntsaku in the Hillside View house was well-meaning, as she was facing a difficult domestic situation at the time.
Lerato Ntsaku celebrates a house rightfully handed to her by the government after the previous one was wrongfully allocated in Hillsideview with Free State Human Settlement MEC, Saki Mokoena. Photo: Kekeletso Mosebetsi
“Remember, the intention when she got into that house was to help her. The situation was heavy with the siblings who were using drugs, and they were creating havoc in the household, damaging property in the house.
“So the government’s intention with the leadership sought to intervene and help,” Mokoena stated.
“It is that help that we’ve carried through to make sure that as we correct the house that was given to her, we provide a new house for her that is under her name so that we do not lose the desire to help as we were correcting what the Public Protector was saying.”
Mokoena also emphasised that they acted swiftly in line with the Public Protector’s recommendations, ensuring both families received what they were rightfully owed. Premier Letsoha-Mathae praised the collaborative work between her office and the Department of Human Settlements.
She also made it clear that the wrongdoing occurred under the previous administration. “This incident is not related to this administration. Remember somebody somewhere decided to lie, we call it like that, to say this is a private company donating,” Letsoha-Mathae stated.
“That’s why we are one team in this current executive. I said when I took office, together with the appointed MECs: Let’s live amongst the people so that we understand the issues.
“We shouldn’t be led by administrators. Administrators will be in the office to guide and make sure that we comply with the law.”
As part of the Public Protector’s remedial action, the report will be formally tabled before the provincial legislature, an act the Premier says she will do “proudly” now that the houses have been handed over to the rightful beneficiaries. Ndili Msoki, the National Acting Spokesperson for the Public Protector’s office, expressed satisfaction that justice had finally been served.
“We are happy to see the remedial work being implemented as recommended by our office after findings. It’s good to witness justice being done and to be part of the official handover to the family,” said Msoki. Mokoena also handed over four more houses in Bloemfontein.