Toti blitzed by storm
A VIOLENT thunderstorm which struck Toti caused extensive damage throughout the area.
Many mudslides were reported and firemen were called out when a car was covered by a mudslide at Pipeline beach. A payloader had to be used to dig the car out of the mud. A police vehicle was also bogged down in the mud.
A house in Zulweni Gardens was struck by what is believed to have been a fireball and the SUN offices in Doonside were also struck by lightning. The N2 freeway opposite the airport was closed to traffic. Both lanes were covered with water. The road was closed for about an hour.
Squatters move out of Illovo
SQUATTERS who had established themselves in a municipal park at Illovo Beach, disappeared overnight.
Severe criticism has been levelled at the Toti SAPS as well as Kingsburgh Protection Services for ‘doing nothing’ when the arrival of squatters was reported. However, Terry Lang, head of KPS said the squatter problem is a difficult one.
“I was phoned at home. It was night-time and my staff told me the squatters had a small child with them,” Terry told the SUN.
Missing diver’s BC found on seabed
DIVING equipment believed to belong to John King (45) who went missing off Umkomaas, was recovered.
Police spokesman, Det Sgt Brett Henman, told the SUN that a BC (buoyancy control) and Scuba diving tank had been retrieved by Joarin Dahlquist. “The diver also saw a weight belt on the sea-bed but could not bring this up,” said Det Sgt Henman.
He is quite sure the equipment belonged to King. “There are cut marks on the shoulder of the BC. These could either be shark teeth marks or they could have been caused by a boat’s propeller,” said the policeman.
Fireball hits garage
WHAT is thought to have been a fireball, damaged the garage and destroyed the car of a Zulweni Gardens resident during a heavy electric storm.
Wally Murray was at home when there was a ‘terrific explosion.’ His neighbour alerted him to the fact that his garages were on fire. They called the fire brigade who rushed to the scene and extinguished the fire.
“The lightning blew a hole right through the roof,” said Murray.
Man falls from balcony
A MEETING of the Shongololo Crawl committee ended in disaster, when Tommy van Rooyen fell from a first floor balcony.
Van Rooyen sustained serious injuries. “He fell onto his buttocks,” said his daughter, Sanet Beets. He sustained eight broken ribs, a punctured lung, a broken shoulder, fractured skull and severe bruising.
Van Rooyen was rushed to Kingsway Hospital. He was later transferred to Entabeni, where he was palced in ICU. He was put onto a respirator.
Beach protest over sand shovelling
BEACHGOERS and surfers at Winklespruit stood in front of a municipality grader to prevent it from piling sand up to change the course of the river.
The protesters intervened because they feel it is unnatural to force the river to run straight out to sea. During the floods the river undermined the retaining wall and the ramp of the Winklespruit Lifesaving clubhouse, causing severe damage to both.
Council engineers decided to change the course of the river to run straight out to sea. The protesters said fishing and surfing were affected badly when the course of the river was altered.
