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Woman’s Friend Renovates RDP Into Modern House, 4 Pics of Stunning Interior Impress SA

Sunday, April 20, 2025 at 2:54 PM by Rutendo Masasi 3 min read

A post on social media shows how one person decided to change their RDP house to fit her tastes
The flawless RDP renovation demonstrated just how far one can go with government-subsidised housing
Many people were in awe of the stunning home interior that the woman was able to achieve after getting her RDP

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One person who became an RDP house recipient made the most of it. Some pictures showed just how much work the RDP beneficiary put into making the home much better.

Woman's friend renovates RDP's interior — A woman showed off the way her friend renovated her RDP to look upscale. Image: Brent Stirton / Getty Images / @naytholo / X
Source: UGC

Online users were completely amazed by how far the person went, and the post amassed over 200 000 views. The photo showing the RDP renovation received thousands of likes from netizens.

RDP Renovations impress South Africa

A set of photos shared on X by @naytholo, showed a newly renovated RDP house that is unrecognisable. The home has modern touches achieved with a grey and black palette and contemporary decor. The home had finishing touches that made it look expensive, including a floating flat screen TV, a beautifully upholstered headboard and plants. See the photos of the RDP below:

How long does it take to get an RDP house?

The RDP housing in South Africa is one of the ways that government tries to help people who are homeless. The housing system is not perfect as the government highlights that a house in a new area takes as long as two years before it can be occupied. Unfortunately, getting an RDP house can take much longer as many report waiting decades. GroundUp reported that one South African waited 15 years after applying for an RDP in 2005.

Many people who receive RDP homes often put a lot of investment into making the homes even better to live in. RDP owners can sell their government-subsidised home, but only after eight years of occupation at a minimum.

It can take years for one to get a completed RDP house — RDP house applicant can wait decades at a time before receiving their home. Image: Per-Anders Pettersson
Source: Getty Images

South Africa impressed by RDP house renovation

The photos showing the RDP house left people amazed. Many were floored by how different it looked from the usual governement houses. Read comments about the RDP renovation from people on X below:

4 Briefly News stories about RDP houses

A woman who grew up in an RDP home showed people the before and after of the work she did to improve it.
People were amused by an RDP owner who was happy that owning the home allowed her to do whatever she wanted in front of her mother.
A woman older than 100 years spent her entire life without a home until she was approved for an RDP after applying in 1996.
Many people were blown away after seeing a renovated RDP that a woman worked on with DIY projects and more.