By Celani Sikhakhane
Severe lightning with heavy rains has left KwaZulu-Natal’s rural communities anxious, especially for players preparing for the year-end Salga games.
In response, one rural municipality has changed game schedules, shortening playtime to protect communities from the threatening thunderstorms.
The Mayor of Big Five Hlabisa Local Municipality announced on Sunday, during the Mayoral Cup at Hluhluwe Primary School, that the standard 90-minute soccer matches and other sports should be shortened to ensure that children can head home safely.
“We have a serious problem here in rural areas. The lightning is more deadly than in urban areas. Therefore we have decided that all sports codes should reduce their minutes on the pitch to make sure that games are finished early so that they should go home safe. For example, on netball we decided that they will no longer play the 30 minutes but the game will be 15 minutes,” said Mayor Comfort Khumalo.
Last week, the South African Weather Service issued a level 4 weather warning, predicting severe thunderstorms that later claimed two lives in the province.
Khumalo added that the municipality has a program to install scientifically tested lightning conductors, though the process is slow due to the need for research approval.
He also encouraged communities to reconnect with traditional practices and consult traditional healers who specialize in weather-related protection methods, such as traditional lightning conductors (“izikhonkwane”).
Khumalo pointed out that, traditionally, rural communities showed respect for thunderstorms and followed safety practices, like avoiding shelter under trees, not walking closely behind cattle, and staying out of water during lightning.
Pictured above: Big Five Hlabisa Local Municipality Mayor Comfortable Khumalo with netball players who had to leave the pitch early due to thunderstorms at the Mayoral Cup games at Hluhluwe Primary School.
Source: Supplied
