Over 500 homes have been affected by the storms over the weekend in the OR Tambo District Municipality while over 262 people have been left homeless.
The storm first wreaked havoc at the beginning of December last year leaving six people dead in the area. Two people died in Nyandeni area following flash floods and thunderstorms that damaged homes, health facilities, and schools.
A 17-year-old boy swept away by flash floods was found dead Sunday night at Msintsini near Libode outside Mthatha. The teenager was with a friend during the ordeal.
The grieving family of the 17-year-old boy that was swept away by the floods on Sunday at Msintsini near Libode in the Eastern Cape does not know how they will bury him. Speaking on behalf of the family, Xolile Nqunqu says they are still coming to terms with the death of this teenager.
“We are in pain because we did not expect this. He went to play, we did not think we would ever see him again. We reported to the police, they said they would come. The community helped us search for him and we found him yesterday (Sunday). We do not know how will are going to bury him because we are all unemployed here. Even my mother depends on a social grant.
We have put up a multi-sectoral team led by the municipality to make sure they interact with the family to engage on where they will require assistance in terms of burial. With the other family, they have nothing as we speak, we will make sure by the time we go back to the office they will be housed.”
One of the relatives of the victim, Mfundiseni Tshwati has appealed for assistance to bury his brother.
“There was a loud thunder. I have never heard thunder so loud so I thought I should go and check if it did not cause any damage. When I got to my brother’s rondavel the door was broken, he was lying on the floor, when I got closer he was not breathing. We are only left with one rondavel that is leaking. We ask for help with the burial we don’t have anything.”
Meanwhile, in the Buffalo City Metro, shack dwellers who lost their homes as a result of floods are calling on government to provide them with temporary houses.
The floods claimed the lives of six people in this municipality taking the total number of fatalities to eight in the recent floods. Residents lost their sentimental valuables and some had this to say.
“These are the only clothes that I’m left with and, I couldn’t go to work today and I don’t think for the whole week I will be able to go to work now I have to stay here, I don’t have any other choice.”
“Some authorities from the municipality came to us and said they will assist us to apply for our ID, and I also lost the SASSA card, I’m not working I’m depending on Social Relief Grant.
Source: News365
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