The mayor of Thulamela, Cllr Grace Mahosi, and speaker Shadrack Maluleke, accompanied by the disaster management team, visited storm-damaged areas on Tuesday (04/10) in order to assess the damage and to offer help.

A rain storm, accompanied by a strong wind, caused severe damage in rural areas of Thulamela on Monday evening.

Mahosi first visited Donald Fraser hospital to see those injured by the storm. They included Phathutshedzo Ndwamato (22), who was injured by falling bricks. Mahosi talked to her husband, Silas Ramaano, and assured him of her support. “We visited six people who were injured by the storm. At the time of our visit, one person was in the theatre in a serious condition,” she said.

The mayor also visited seven families at Lambani, Lukalo and Tshifudu-Mushungwa village, which have a total of 315 families affected by the storm disaster.

She said after visiting the families, she found that these families had suffered various kinds of damage. “Some have had blankets swept away, while others want food,” she said. She added that some people´s houses were destroyed totally.

One of the affected people, Ms Livhuwani Ganndini´s one-roomed house was destroyed. She is staying with her four children and relies on her child grants for survival. “After everything was destroyed, I am sleeping at the neighbours’ place,” she said.

Mahosi said she felt the area should be declared a disaster area. “The damage to families is serious and we will request the province to declare the area a disaster area," she said.

The head of disaster management at Thulamela, Mr Elias Chavalala, said the damage was the most serious he had seen. “We are still compiling a report, and so far, we have identified 315 families affected,” he said.

Chavalala said the damage would be assessed to see what sort of help the people needed.