Second devastating storm

THE Ladysmith area is recovering from yet another devastating storm on Saturday, which left at least 400 more people homeless.

Two teams of assessors from the Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs and the Alfred Duma municipality, who were deployed to the area, were yesterday still busy assessing the damage, which occurred in the Roosboom area in ward 13.

Ward councillor Themba Ngubane said it was estimated that 400 people were affected and 50 houses damaged.

“We’re appealing to businesses, NGOs and the government to assist,” he said.

“Houses have been damaged, the roofs have been blown away and some have collapsed. The roads have been washed away and it is difficult to get in and out of the area.

“This is not the first time that this area has been damaged by the storm. Various sections of the Roosboom area have been hard hit in the past, and the current damage comes as the area is still recovering from previous storms.

“What we saw on Saturday was tragic as some of the people had nowhere to sleep,” Ngubane said.

UThukela district municipality disaster team senior manager Nqobizizwe Mabaso said they would have a full picture of the damage today.

“This storm came as we were trying to deal with the damage from last weekend’s storm that affected 13 wards in the Alfred Duma municipality alone, three in the Inkosi Langalibalele municipality and also in other areas,” he said.

Last weekend’s storm reportedly left about 500 people destitute, more than 30 homes destroyed and several people injured.

Many of those who were left homeless are being accommodated in community halls while temporary structures are being built.