Heavy rains in KZN prove costly – and deadly
THE community of Amajuba District was left to pick up the pieces after heavy rains that lasted more than a week from last week Friday, and in which three people died due to heavy rain.
Some families in Newcastle are grieving the loss of their loved ones and the extensive damage.
Thandeka Ndlovu’s two-month-old son, Mthokozisi, died during the heavy rain.
Ndlovu who lives in an informal settlement in Ward 25, said her partner and their baby were sleeping on the floor.
“At about 3 or 4am, we felt water on the blankets we were sleeping on and I grabbed my baby. My partner ran out trying to seek help. It was extremely cold and I had just one blanket over my child because most things were wet,” she said.
She said they ran to their neighbour’s shack.
“I don’t have much recollection of that night except that we were trying to salvage what we could while I carried my baby. When I checked on him, he was quiet and had died in my arms,” said Ndlovu.
Mthokozisi was buried in Dannhauser on Friday.
Nokubonga Mchunu, 22, from Dannhauser, was swept away by a nearby river.
Bhekisile Mbhele, Mchunu’s aunt, said she was with a friend, when they tried to cross over a low-lying bridge while returning from Amajuba College, where she was a student.
“The water was high because it had been raining. The friend ran back and called for help when she saw Nokubonga swept away by the water.
When we arrived there, people were already standing on the side. No one could go in the river because it was raining and the river was moving fast,” said Mbhele.
She said that they had to wait hours before the river subsided and she could start searching for Mchunu, whose body was found a day later.
Mbhele said the family was still grieving their loss. Mchunu was buried in Ladysmith, where she grew up, yesterday.
Bheki Mabaso, 52, was swept by flood waters.
His niece, Philisiwe Mabaso said: “A body had washed up to the shore from the nearby river and someone recognised it was my uncle.
“As far as we know he was trying to cross the river,” said Mabaso.
She said the family was trying to come to terms with the loss and wished that the rain would not bring so much suffering.
“It has been a hard week for the family,” she said.
Mabaso was buried yesterday. Other families woke up to damaged houses.
Tersia Olivier, 33, who lives in Lennoxton, with her husband and uncle, said that they were grateful to be alive but the sight of water seeping into their home was scary.
“The slightest sound of thunder, or rain, or change in weather, still traumatises us because we don’t know if we should prepare for the worst.
“We had to rip out the carpet because the water had soaked right through,” said Olivier.
In the endumeni Municipality in Dundee, siblings Nkonzo Buthelezi (37) and Nomathemba Buthelezi (42), were in their vehicle when they were swept away last week.
Their bodies were found on Thursday.
The Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs with officials from the Amajuba District, visited the area and provided social relief to the affected families.