Residents of Mbaula village in Limpopo are counting heavy losses two weeks after devastating floods swept through the area. At least 36 homes were destroyed, forcing dozens of families into overcrowded temporary shelters as they wait for government assistance.
Clean-up operations remain slow, with mud, debris, and stagnant water still covering streets and yards. The smell of damp earth hangs in the air as residents try to salvage what little remains of their belongings.
Many displaced families are sheltering at a local church hall, where conditions are increasingly difficult.
“It’s overcrowded and there’s no privacy,” says Sibongile Ngobeni, who is staying there with her three children. “We sleep in one big hall. We’re women, we have children, it’s not right.”
“Half of my house was underwater”
Among those affected is Agnes Mathosi (71), who recalls being jolted awake in the early hours of the morning of 15 January as floodwaters rushed into her home.
“I was sleeping, then around 3am my grandson woke me up. The yard was full of water, and half of my house was underwater,” she says. “We had to break through the fence to escape because the gate was blocked by dirty water and debris.”
Mathosi says she lost everything.
“My TV, wardrobe, beds, everything is destroyed. The only thing I managed to save was my medication because I have to take pills for high blood pressure,” she tells Health-e News. “
I hope the government can help me and move us to a new place. We don’t want to stay here anymore. The government has already come to see the damage.”
Mathosi is currently living at the church with her daughter and four grandchildren.
“But we don’t want to stay here (Mbuala) anymore,” she says. “The floods can happen again. It’s too dangerous.”
Homes built close to the river
On 14 January, heavy rains and strong winds caused the nearby Ritavi River to overflow. Some homes were built just 15 feet from the riverbank, placing them directly in the flood line.
Seseleni Rikhotso (29), also sheltering at the church hall, says residents were caught completely off guard.
“We didn’t know what was happening or where the rain was coming from,” she says. “The water swept through our homes and carried our belongings away.”
She adds that two people were injured and a five-year-old child is still missing.
“It’s very hard to sleep at night thinking about what happened,” Rikhotso says.
Calls for relocation, not rebuilding
Affected residents say they will not return to their former homes and are demanding relocation to safer areas.
“We want the government and organisations to build us houses,” says Agnes Shikwambani (50), who is also staying at the church.
Tiny Ndhlovu (48) says the floods destroyed her newly completed eight-room home.
Subscribe to our newsletter
“I had just finished installing tiles and ceilings. Even 10 bags of beans were destroyed,” she says. “The government should build us proper houses, not small RDPs.”
Mosquitoes and flowing water around the church grounds have raised additional health concerns, especially for children.
Government response
The Limpopo provincial government spokesperson, Ndavhe Ramakuela, previously told Health-e News that the premier has repeatedly warned that homes in Mbaula were built within a flood line.
“The government has encouraged traditional leaders and municipalities to plan the relocation of residents to areas outside the flood line.”
While President Cyril Ramaphosa and senior ministers have visited the area and promised assistance, residents say tangible support has been slow to arrive. For now, they rely largely on donations from NGOs and community members.
“We are grateful for the help we’ve received from people,” Rikhotso says. “But we are still waiting for the government to act.” – Health-e News
