Floods: Limpopo elderly man and family spent five days between moving waters

A Limpopo man, who spent five days without food on a small island between two flooding rivers, still finds it hard to believe he survive and says he will thank God and his ancestors for each day he is allowed to spend with his family.

Rescue mission

The 57-year-old Isaac Rathlane, who works as a barber in Tzaneen, was rescued from his watery prison yesterday by a joint operation between the South African National Defence Force, the police water wing and its K9 search and rescue, as well as a disaster management team from the Limpopo cooperative governance, human settlement and traditional affairs.

Since he lives some distance out of town and cannot afford the daily taxi fare, Rathlane made himself a makeshift shelter on an island which sits between two rivers which feed the Tzaneen Dam.

After heavy rain in the area, the rivers burst their banks and the fast-flowing water trapped him on the island.

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‘Drowned’

He woke up on Sunday to find his house, food and his cooking utensils covered by water. Speaking to The Citizen at the Van Velden Hospital in Tzaneen soon after the rescue operation, Rathlane said: “I have never been terrified like this before.

At times I thought I was dead. I thought I had already joined my ancestors.” He was still clearly shaken by his ordeal.

Since he was not injured, he was discharged after an examination at the hospital. “I spent most of my time praying and begging God to send his angels to bring help.

On Tuesday, after a canoe capsized while trying to cross the river to rescue me, I gave up. I thought I was destined to die on that island,” he said, as tears rolled on his cheeks.

Asked what he had to eat on the island since Sunday, Rathlane said he ate everything that looked like food along the river banks.

Survival

His younger sister, Matsie, said the family had to spend the five days on the river banks hoping he would get help. “We slept there, cooked there each and every day.

But unfortunately, we could not share the food with him,” she said. “We are only worried that the police and the municipality acted very late to help. Imagine spending five days sleeping on the island with no food or blanket in that chilly weather.”

A taxi operator, who asked for his name to be withheld, said several people who work in the city lived along the rivers.

“But we are concerned about the response mechanism by the government and the police. Because he is a poor black man, he is left to die,” said the driver.

After Rathlane was finally reunited with his family, he expresed his excitement. “I am happy that I will sleep at home today under the good care of my family,” he said.

“I am also happy I will eat a well-cooked meal in the comfort of my house. “Thank God for giving me a second chance in life.

I would also want to thank my family for standing by me through this tough time. The lesson I have learnt is that roaming around the rivers is extremely dangerous as this may cost one their life.”

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