Around 70 people, including the elderly and babies, have sought temporary shelter in a local church in Mbaula Village near Giyani in Limpopo after their homes were damaged by heavy rains last week.
Parts of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and the North West have been battered by severe storms, which led to widespread flooding. The government declared a national disaster over the weekend following the president’s visit to Limpopo.
Limpopo provincial spokesperson, Ndavhe Ramakuela, explains that the government has activated its Disaster Management Committee that “coordinates work for rescue, relief and rebuilding”.
“This includes coordinating the daily relief packages in line with disaster management provision – food, shelter and accessibility. In addition, the provincial government is also coordinating with non-governmental organisations to assist with relief packages,” he says.
Jimmyrose Shikwambani, who’s currently staying at the church, says they have been receiving food from NGOs. But everyone is in dire need of basic necessities.
“We are not okay. We don’t have a place to stay, we don’t have clothes. We haven’t taken a bath or changed in over four days. There’s no privacy,” Shikwambani tells Health-e News. “Schools are opening tomorrow [Tuesday], but the children don’t have uniforms.”
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Desperate escape
Shikwambani and his family and neighbours were displaced when their homes were flooded on the night of 14 January.
“I remember the night of the flood like it was yesterday,” he recalls.
“The rain started around 7pm, and it got worse around 2am. Water was gushing into our house through the doors and the roof. The water was brown, and it was rising fast. I was mopping the floor but it was getting worse.”
Shikwambani fetched his three-year-old son from his bedroom and joined the rest of his family – including his mother, sister, and niblings – in the sitting room.
“We were all trying to mop up the water, but it was a losing battle.”
Shikwambani says the water was flowing with more force, and he realised they were in danger.
“I opened the door, and the water hit me with pressure. It was up to my knees. I told my mom and siblings we had to escape, but my mom hesitated. She wanted to stand on chairs, but I forced her to leave.”
The family sought refuge in a neighbour’s house, where they stayed from 3am to 5am. “We didn’t even call our neighbours before going over there; it was rough. The situation was getting more dangerous, and our lives were in danger,” he says.
While at the neighbour’s house, Shikwambani received calls from another neighbour saying her mother and sister were trapped in their RDP house that had collapsed.
“The water was too dangerous. I saw houses being swept away, and I knew I couldn’t do anything. But myself and other men were able to get them out. We also helped others, including a soldier, a teacher and the chief,” he says.
The floods didn’t destroy the Shikwambani’s family home, but all of their belongings, including the furniture was swept away, and the house has severe water damage.
Counting the losses
Danisani Charity Malatji’s two-roomed house didn’t survive the flood.
“I was away in Tzaneen, where I work. As soon as I heard about the heavy rain, I warned my two sons [aged 17 and 13] not to sleep in the house, suspecting something might happen.”
Whe returned home on Saturday, Malatji was devastated to see the extent of the damage.
“Our furniture is gone, and my house is flattened – it’s painful. I’ve lost everything. But I’m grateful that we are all alive,” she tells Health-e News.
“My grandmother has kindly taken us in temporarily, but we don’t have a place to call home.”
Residents estimate that around 40 homes have been destroyed. The floods in Limpopo have claimed 18 lives and five people have been reported missing.
The local taxi association also suffered losses.
“We’ve suffered a significant loss due to the floods, estimating around R50 000 combined as an association,” says Khetani Mashele, chairperson of Ndimahlo Taxi Association. “Drivers and assistants didn’t receive their incomes, and we understand it’s not their fault. However, as owners, we’ve also incurred huge losses, and our customers suffered as well.”
Mashele explains that their taxis got stuck in the floodwaters, and about half of the association’s vehicles are now unable to start. “We’ve got mechanical problems, and our rank structures are damaged. The main roads are muddy, making it difficult to operate.”
Appeals for help
The Mbaula community is looking to the government for relief.
“We wish our government could fix the roads and provide a grant to help us return to operation,” Mashele says. “It could be a monetary grant or any form of assistance necessary. Some of our drivers lost their homes due to the floods, and we’re calling for support.”
Malatji says they are in urgent need of the basics. “We don’t have blankets, clothes… nothing was left. The kids don’t have school uniforms. We’re counting on help from the government and kind-hearted individuals.”
Ramakuela says traditional leaders and municipalities need to plan for the restoration of houses in areas outside of flood-prone areas, away from rivers. “It is the common message that the premier has been preaching and was specific in Mbaula village,” he says. – Health-e News
