Residents of Angola Section, Kliptown were woken by a loud crashing sound, which most of them thought to be a gun shot or accident after a tree fell over four shacks.
“I was woken by a cracking sound and saw that I was being thrown off my bed,” said Musa Chapotera.
He said he felt his bed elevate by the roots of a tree.
“I knew that the tree was falling so I rushed out to alert my neighbours,” Chapotera said.
A lady was trapped under the tree and the community raced against time to rescue her.
“We had to cut the base of her bed so that we could lower her out,” said ward committee member Lawrence Ntsie.
Mapule Mchunu was taken to hospital and released the same day. Another resident was treated for trauma.
The fallen tree was cut into pieces by City Parks while the remainder of the trunk will be cut in to smaller pieces later.
All families who were affected are left with almost nothing.
“Many residents need material to rebuild their homes and they also need furniture,” Ntsie said.
Sibongile Mkhwanazi uses a broom stick to keep the roof of her shack up while her bedroom and kitchen is destroyed.
“I am afraid to leave my home because my things might get stolen,” Mkhwanazi said.
Affected families were taken to a community hall and were provided with food and blankets.
Residents are appealing to businesses to assist them in rebuilding their lives.
They are requesting for furniture, food and material.
Ntsie said people can go to see the situation that families were left in and make donations afterwards.
He can be reached on 072 563 1068.
