By Celani Sikhakhane
KwaZulu-Natal is under siege from deadly natural disasters which have killed 31 people and destroyed 600 homes between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day.
And the danger is far from over. On Wednesday, the Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs warned that the province is facing heavy rain accompanied by lightning and thunderstorms.
Spokesperson Sboniso Mngadi said that they were urging communities to stay indoors.
On Wednesday the community of Roosboom in Ladysmith bade farewell to seven members of the Msimango family who were killed in floods that swept away four vehicles on the N11 late on Christmas Eve.
Mkhulu Msimango, who lost his seven grandchildren in that tragedy, told mourners that he doesn’t have words to describe the pain he is facing.
“One of my grandkids was here to visit us for Christmas,” he said. “The other six lived here with me. We used to herd my livestock together. At some point they would joke with me by saying if I didn’t buy chips for them they would boycott looking after my cattle.
“I am really in pain for losing my kids like this.”
From 18 December, heavy rains accompanied with lightning and thunderstorms wrought havoc in Sthembile township in Glencoe under the uMzinyathi District.
Families lost their hard-earned December groceries, furniture, homes and other essentials.
Two schools were completely damaged and a 13-year-old boy was killed by lightning.
On New Year’s Day, a vehicle was seen floating in Hanley Dam after it was swept off the road.
A woman and a child who were in that car were found dead while a male occupant is still missing.
In uMlalazi one person was killed by lightning while businesses were destroyed by thunderstorms.
On the South Coast in Port Shepstone, a man drowned while swimming in the sea during heavy rains.
The Presidency has deployed its disaster teams to assist in certain parts of the province.
Pictured above: The vehicle that was found floating on Hanley Dam in Pietermaritzburg. Two occupants died and a third one is still missing.
Image source: Supplied
