Newcastle paramedic loses everything in devastating storm
Gugu Mathaba lost her home in the tornado that hit multiple Northern KZN areas on Monday.
It’s only a 15km drive home for Newcastle paramedic, Gugu Mathaba …But last Monday, June 3, it was the longest 15km of her life.
Tears spilled down her cheeks as her mind called up images of the worst injuries imaginable that her brother and sister might have suffered when their roof blew off and their house caved in during the tornado that ripped through the outer lying areas in Newcastle.
“I was at work when I received a phone call from my brother. He was hysterical when he told me our house was destroyed. I drove home as fast as I could. When I got to Masondale, the area in which I live, I was shocked at the wreckage all around me. Four of my neighbours’ houses were damaged. My house, however, was the worst hit,” recalled Mathaba.
“It was a mess,” she continued.
“The roof was gone. Fallen bricks and blocks destroyed our furniture and appliances. I was grateful that my five-year old daughter and my nine-year old son were at school during the storm. My brother and sister, who were at home, hid between the sofas to try and protect themselves but my brother was still injured by blocks that fell on his head and chest. Fortunately, the injuries were not severe. He was taken to the hospital for treatment and discharged the same day.”
While the ward councillor took photos of the damage to Mathaba’s house, she expressed disappointment that nobody from Disaster Management reached out to offer any assistance. Mathaba and her family are living with neighbours while Mathaba, who is the sole bread winner in her family, saves up to repair the damage to her home.
“I am going to try and repair at least one room at a time so that we can move back home,” she said.
Readers who are willing to assist Gugu Mathaba in her efforts to rebuild her home can contact her on 076 893 9698.
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Read the full story in the Northern Natal News section of this week’s Newcastle Advertiser.
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