29 September 2023
Eunice Ndou shows her damaged house. The roof was was blown off in a storm on Tuesday. Photos: Bernard Chiguvare
More than 200 families have been affected by a severe thunderstorm that hit Mabvete village, about 80km east of Musina, on Tuesday evening in Limpopo.
Roofs were ripped open or completely torn off, some houses’ walls collapsed and many windows were shattered. Electricity poles came down and the steel fence of the community hall was flattened. The cellular network also went down.
By Friday morning, there had still not been any form of assistance from Musina Local Municipality.
“I am not yet sure what sort of help we may get from the municipality,” said Jane Munyai, a ward committee member. “Affected families are still coming to register with me so that we can inform the local municipality.”
Munyai said municipal officials had visited the village on Thursday.
“Most of the affected families have no food,” she said, and food parcels were needed.
When GroundUp arrived on Thursday, some families were trying to repair their homes, but several people told us they have no money to replace their damaged roofs.
Eunice Ndou said it was havoc when the storm hit. She and her eight-month-old baby and other family members sheltered under a mattress when the roof of their three-roomed house blew off. They later sought shelter with neighbours.
Shonisani Mudau in the ruins of her home which was devastated by a severe thunderstorm on Tuesday.
Next door, the stone walls of Shonisani Mudau’s house had crumbled. Her husband had sustained minor injuries to his head.
“My plan for the meantime is to try to build a shack,” she said.
Talifhani Mudau and his seven siblings crouched in the corner of their home when the roof was blown off. It landed metres away from the house.
“I could not think of any plan but to grab the three-year-old and we all rushed in one corner,” he said.
Comment from Musina Local Municipality will be added when received.
Talifhani Mudau prepares some food for the family in their broken house.