DELMAS – The Nkangala disaster management team worked tirelessly in trying to fix tents for more than two hundred families, whose houses were blown by a heavy hailstorm on Tuesday night, increasing a number of damaged houses to 84.
Officials from different government departments such SASSA, Department of Social Development, the Nkangala District and Victor Khanye Local Municipality have been helping the more than two hundred families affected by the tornado to get settled in the temporary shelters (tents) supplied by the district, blankets, food parcels, and mattresses were also provided to aid the situation.
Some of them lost the whole roofing and with some families their door and windows were damaged.
“Yesterday we supplied tents to provide them with temporal shelter and some sought for shelter in their relatives. We provided all of them with food including breakfast, lunch and supper,” explained Ms Sentebaleng Masemola, the municipality’s spokesperson.
The Executive Mayor of Victor Khanye Local Municipality Cllr Eva Makhabane and VKLM Councillors spent the day in the area yesterday speaking to residents and assessing the extent of the damage.
During her visit to the area Mpumalanga MEC for Social Development Nomsa Mtsweni, said that government will try to assist the victims until they are well settled. She also echoed the Executive Mayor’s words urging parents to send their children to school despite the situation.
The Executive Mayor also pleaded with business owners to provide the necessary assistance, such as clothing, toiletries, food parcels, stationery and school uniform to the affected families.
The storm left twelve people, nine adults and three children injured.
Also read: 50 RDP houses blown by hailstorm
