RDP Housing: How To Apply For a RDP House Easily

RDP Housing
RDP Housing

RDP Housing In South Africa

RDP House statistics show that almost 20% of South African households consist of people living in government subsidised homes.

It therefore seems that the RDP housing system is a real solution for many people in South Africa, who do not earn enough to qualify for a normal home loan, to have in their own homes.

While this may be providing a solution for many, the waiting lists for RDP housing is significantly large & the quality of these type of low cost houses is often below standard with thin walls & leaking roofs with most of these type of complaints coming from the Western, Eastern & Northern Cape provinces.

However attention is being given to these issues by the authorities so it is definitely worth applying if you qualify.

Unfortunately it is not as simple as that, as to get an RDP housing application approved, the applicant may not earn more than a certain amount (R3000 per month) which means that people who earn more than the maximum to qualify for an RDP house but less than the required amount to qualify for a home loan, will have a difficult time in getting financing to buy any sort of house.

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RDP Housing Application – Quick & Easy

RDP Housing Application
RDP Housing Application

Start your RDP housing application by contacting your ward councillor in your area.

To get your RDP house you will need to provide them with all the necessary documentation such as ID documents, proof of income etc.

RDP House Application Form Online

Apply For RDP House Online

You can apply for a RDP house online in Cape Town, Durban or anywhere else in South Africa.

If you click here, or on the form above, it will take you to the RDP house application form PDF which you can complete & submit online.

A screening process is then performed & the successful candidates identified.

How Do I Check My Housing Status?

To check your RDP house online or to check your housing status you have these options.

  • Call 0800 146 873 to check your RDP housing status.
  • To check your RDP house online you can go to your municipality’s website to follow up on your RDP house.

RDP House Waiting List

Just remember that after you’ve registered for your RDP house, your name will on the RDP waiting list for houses in Gauteng.

You’ll also be on the provincial housing need register, & housing demand database, so that as &when housing projects are completed, hopefully your name will be included in those who are allocated a house.

Who Qualifies For RDP Houses

Those who fulfill the following criteria are those who qualify for RDP houses.

  • RDP Houses are only for South African citizens who have valid SA ID documents.
  • You must be over 21 years of age & have contractual capacity.
  • You must be married or live permanently with your partner or have dependents.
  • If you’re single you need to have financial dependents to qualify for a RDP house.
  • Your total household income cannot exceed R3500 per month
  • Aged persons who are single and are without financial dependents.
  • You must be a first time government subsidy recipient.
  • You need to be a first time home owner & cannot have owned property previously or currently anywhere in South Africa.
  • If you’re a single Military Veteran without financial dependent you qualify.

Please note that these conditions are subject to change at any time.

Furthermore, if an applicant’s income is higher than the maximum amount, the amount of the subsidy will decrease accordingly.

If the RDP housing application is approved the applicant will then receive the house together with the plot of land it is built on & all the relevant services in terms of water & electricity, sewerage etc.

A further subsidy can be applied for by the home owner, in the form of an indigent subsidy to subsidise the cost of the services if the owner earns less than R1000 a month.

For this extra subsidy, home owners need to apply at the indigent office & also need to go through this application process every year as the income status of the resident may change.

Please note that these conditions are subject to change at any time.

RDP Houses For Sale

  • You can find RDP houses for sale in Tembisa, Mamelodi, Cosmo City, Khayelitsha, Atteridgeville, Olievenhoutbosch, Ivory Park and all over South Africa.
  • Applicants should bear in mind that they will only be able to get one housing subsidy ever & will never be granted another one
  • RDP house cannot be sold or rented out – they are provided solely for the applicant’s accommodation
  • Any RDP owner wanting to extend or renovate their house before eight years of ownership will need to obtain permission from their local municipality
  • Special treatment is given to disabled applicants – the design of the house may also be changed to accommodate the special needs of the person’s disability

Middle Class Income Groups Who Do Not Qualify For RDP Housing

Applying For a Home Loan Is Probably the Only Option For Those Middle Income Groups Who Earn Too Much For a RDP House

For those whose income is too high to be considered for RDP housing will need to apply for a home loan in order to buy or build their own houses.

This however is easier said than done as with the new Credit Act home loans are only granted on affordability once all your usual expenses are taken into account.

So while the interest rates are at all time lows, lending institutions are extremely reluctant to grant home loans to applicants whose earnings are borderline.

Another option is to apply for a personal loan which can be used as a deposit for a small home loan.

Contact Numbers For RDP Housing

  • Government housing assistance contact details
  • Housing Enquiries Hotline: 0800 146 873
  • Gauteng: 011 355 4000
  • Western Cape: 079 769 1207 (Please Call Me)
  • Eastern Cape: 043 711 9901/2/3
  • KwaZulu Natal: 033 392 6400 or 033 3365300
  • North West: 018 388 5403
  • Limpopo: 015 284 5000
  • Northern Cape: 053 830 9422
  • Free State: 051 405 3883
  • Mpumalanga: 013 766 6087

132 thoughts on “RDP Housing: How To Apply For a RDP House Easily”

  1. Hi. I’m Nippy Mashabela,i stay at Soshanguve. I’m a male of about 35 years. I since applied for an RDP house back in september 2014 at Soshanguve municipal offices and i did’nt hear from from them up to now. Is it right if i go check with them at the office or do i wait. Another question! My dad happened to have applied at Midrand back in 1995 or 1996 not so sure,i remember he even have those papers with him he once show us,unfortunatly he passed away in 1997 before those houses were released around 1998-1999 at Tembisa. We’ve seached for those documents but we could’nt find them so i want to know is it possible to can go check using his ID book or what?
    Regards
    N Mashabela

    1. Hi Nippy

      Here are some contact details that you can use to chase up on your application;

      Tel: 012 358 1167
      Mr Bradley Rathumbu
      Manager: Waiting List and Subsidy Administration

      Tel: 012 358 1124
      Mr Peggy Rathete
      Deputy Manager: Waiting List and Subsidy Administration

      Or these Satellite offices for Tshwane

      Satellite offices
      Mabopane/Winterveld 012 358 9737
      Ga-Rankuwa 012 358 9862
      Hammanskraal/Temba 012 358 9816
      Soshanguve/Akasia 012 358 9270
      Centurion/Laudium/Laezonia 012 358 3888
      Mamelodi 012 358 5546
      City centre 012 358 4315
      Atteridgeville 012 358 5003

    1. Hello Zipho

      Anyone who has useful information or experience with RDP houses can comment, it would be appreciated.

      Otherwise issues should be taken up with the relevant ward councillor or the are municipality’s housing debt.

      For instance the City Of Cape Town has an online query form to find your status on the Housing Database here: https://web1.capetown.gov.za/web1/HWL2012Online/

      But of anyone has more info please contribute

  2. Hi

    My mother applied for an RDP house in 1996. Sadly, she passed on in 2008. My brother and I were left without a place to stay. We went to the Department of housing to enquire about the house. We were told that the house will be forfeited as the applicant has passed on. We were told we had to apply from scratch. We are still renting. Is that how it is really done? Is there nothing that can be done to get at least a subsidy of plot only?

    1. Hi Kaytee

      I’m really sorry to hear about this, not to mention the frustration of being told you have to start the process from scratch.

      As I’m not personally involved in housing or RDP houses in any way I can’t give you meaningful advice other than to suggest you approach somebody higher up (a senior supervisor or MP) in your city/municipality’s housing dept directly to find out where you stand – maybe the person you spoke to wasn’t entirely correct but couldn’t be bothered to find out exactly what the situation is.

      Good luck

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