The Gauteng Department of Human Settlements says it is investigating after Nigerian rapper and social media personality Scooby Nero claimed in a viral video that he owned RDP houses in Roodepoort and collected rent from tenants. The department says the remarks were offensive and used the controversy to warn residents about housing scams and illegal dealings involving state-subsidised homes.

Scooby Nero, identified in reports as Chibuzor Nwankwo, later apologised and said the video was a trolling stunt designed to drive engagement on Facebook. His apology was reported by multiple outlets after the backlash spread online.

Gauteng opens inquiry into viral RDP claims

The Scooby Nero RDP houses controversy gained traction after a video showed him near government-subsidised homes, saying the residents were his tenants and that he was there to collect rent. According to the supplied source, the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements responded by confirming an investigation into the claims.

Gauteng MEC for Human Settlements Tasneem Motara said the video was “quite insulting” and said the department was clamping down on scams. She also warned residents not to trust anyone claiming to process housing matters through WhatsApp or personal bank accounts, saying official communication comes through government offices and verified email channels. Those warnings align with previous Gauteng department scam alerts about fake notices, cloned content and fraudsters posing as officials.

RDP housing rules remain central to the case

The Scooby Nero RDP houses row has also drawn attention to the rules around state-subsidised housing. South Africa’s Housing Act says a beneficiary may not sell or otherwise alienate a subsidised property within eight years of acquiring it unless it is first offered to the relevant provincial housing department. Official government guidance also describes RDP houses as subsidised housing intended for qualifying beneficiaries.

That legal context matters because Motara used the viral episode to remind the public that unlawful sale and rental arrangements around RDP homes can expose vulnerable residents to fraud. The department’s message was not only about one video. It was also a warning about a wider pattern of housing scams in Gauteng.

Apology follows backlash

In his apology, Nero said the video was satire and part of an online trolling strategy tied to monetised Facebook engagement. He said he had taken the joke too far and apologised to South Africans, adding that he was willing to submit documents to the authorities. That account was consistent across the supplied source and follow-up reporting.

No public evidence in the material reviewed independently confirmed that Nero in fact owned RDP houses. What has been confirmed is the investigation, the apology and the department’s warning against fraud linked to subsidised housing.