Lowveld storm victims lucky to be alive

Two siblings said they are lucky to be alive after they had escaped with bruises on their faces and heads following the heavy storm in the Mahushu area on Friday November 18.

The siblings, Colnert Shabangu and Nomathemba Mlimi, said everything had happened so quickly, and with a blink of the eye, their roof had collapsed on top of them, while others managed to run for cover under the beds and tables when the storm ravaged their house.

“No one expected what happened. It happened so fast that the roof was blown off within seconds. When the rain started, we actually thought it was going to be a normal one, as we had never experienced such terrible storms here before. But things took a turn just moments after it started to rain. The clouds became dark, and the wind blew heavier than usual. This is when the trouble started. The next minute, everyone was screaming inside the house. My sister was bleeding after she had been hit and cut by a sharp object from the roof,” recalled Shabangu.

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She said she did not even realise that she had also been hit and was bleeding, too. “I was worried about my sister, that I didn’t notice I was also hurt. I still don’t know how we survived to tell the story today, but what I do know for sure is that we are lucky we survived.”

The MEC for co-operative governance and traditional affairs, Mandla Msibi, visited this family on Saturday and promised to help rebuild what was lost due to the storm.

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“I don’t want to make many promises, but we will find a way to help you rebuild,” said Msibi.