Mass drowning in Amatikulu River lagoon
THIS is the true story of a tragic family drowning, a son’s heroism, a bachelor’s compassion, a pastor’s grief and a spinster’s passion.
At midnight on 8 April 1917 a farmer on a motor bike arrived at the kwaMondi Norwegian mission near eShowe.
He had terrible news for the man in charge, Pastor Peder Aage Rodseth: ‘Your wife Ragnhild and your daughters Ester and Helga have drowned at Amatikulu beach.’
Emma Martha Howells, the mother of five young children, had also drowned.
The blonde and beautiful Ragnhild Rodseth, a qualified teacher, had worked hard at preparations for the annual conference of the Norwegian Mission Society that was to be held at kwaMondi.
The pastor noticed his wife looked tired and suggested a week’s holiday at Amatikulu beach, a popular holiday camp at the time.
German farmer, Herman Gebers, offered to take Ragnhild and her nine children to the beach in his ox wagon.
The Rodseth family camped on the north side of the river mouth. The bathing beach was on the south side.
Many holiday-makers enjoyed the sunny days on the beach. The young boys ferried groups across the lagoon in a rowing boat.
On the morning of Easter Sunday, the last day of the holiday, Ragnhild gathered her children, read the Easter story and led the children in prayer.
Later she accepted an invitation from
Mrs S Cheeseman of eShowe to join her in a bathing party on the south side of the river.
Her eldest son, Frederick (20), expressed doubt as to the wisdom of swimming in dangerous water. However, Ragnhild, eager to please her friends, accepted the invitation.
Frederick, a strong swimmer, rowed some ladies across the lagoon and later heard screams from the women who were in distress.
He jumped from the boat and after a fierce struggle in the breakers, he rescued Mrs Cheeseman.
Later Frederick and Herman Gebers retrieved the lifeless bodies of his mother Ragnhild, Emma Howells and his sister, Helga (18).
The body of the eldest sister, Ester (21) was only recovered the next day.
Moving obituary
The Royal Humane Society later awarded Frederick a special commendation for saving the life of Mrs Cheeseman.
Hundreds of mourners attended the funeral at kwaMondi with Pastor Sven Eriksen officiating.
Ragnhild’s obituary reads: ‘She was a woman who never spared herself. She lived a busy, active life at kwaMondi. Her nine children were well brought up and well behaved. Friendship and hospitality were generously given to many visitors. In addition her warm-hearted interest in mission work was of invaluable help to her husband in his vocation.’
William Matthias Howells, the husband of the late Mrs Howells, was ill at the time of her drowning. When he heard the terrible news, he lost the will to live and died four days later.
Both are buried in the lonely graveyard at Gingindlovu.
The hotel owner at eShowe, Mr KV Challenor, a bachelor, was a remarkable and compassionate man. (Challenor Ridge in Richards Bay was named after him).As the employer of William Howells, he regarded it as his sacred duty to look after the five children and he adopted them.
When he bought the Richards Bay hotel in 1929, two of the children, Molly and
John, were employed in the hotel. Molly was the first white bride to marry at the hotel in 1935.
Second marraige
Marit Sodahl was a female missionary who left Norway in 1914 after qualifying.
The Norwegian Missionary Society decided in 1916 to transfer her to the Zululand mission. She first served at Ngoye, near today’s University of Zululand, and later at kwaMondi.
After the tragic death of his wife, the pastor’s life was empty.
Within months he decided to marry Marit Sodahl. The pastor was 50 years old and his bride-to-be 33.
The couple married at kwaMondi on 3 July, 1918 in a small wedding.
Ten months later the 34-year-old Marit was washing the nappies of her first child, Eilif. Soon five more children followed in quick succession: Kirsten, Ingeborg, Liv, Nils and Lars. After working in Zululand for 44 years, Pastor Aage Rodseth retired in 1938.
The Zulu congregation gave them a moving farewell.
He and Marit settled in eShowe in a house with electricity and water reticulation and their first indoor toilet.
The good pastor died at eShowe on 30 August 1945 at the age of 76 years. He was buried at kwaMondi between Ragnhild and one of his two daughters,
Marit died in 1997 at the age of 94.