Over 200 displaced Harrismith residents in the Free State are pleading for assistance. This after their houses were damaged by a disruptive storm.
A community hall, a school and some businesses, were also affected by the storm that hit Intabazwe and Makgolokwe. Part of Intabazwe and Makgolokweng are without electricity as power lines are down.
Most of the shacks in Makgolokweng have been blown away. Maluti-A-Phofung municipality Chief Whip — Mandlankosi Dlamini — says they are still assessing the extent of the damage.
“Currently we are at 200 households that are affected. Mostly it is the roof, half of the roof or partially that is affected by the storm.”
Residents are gradually picking up the pieces after the storm destroyed more than 200 houses. Amongst those affected is a family of five left without a shelter.
One of the family members, Buyisiwe Nkosi, who resides in Intabazwe section explains how the weather changed on that day.
“It was round about quarter past four in the afternoon and suddenly it was bit dusty and windy. All of a sudden we just heard the roof falling down. and when we looked up we couldn’t see any roof. So, we tried to shield the children. and we managed to grab some important things and valuables like the TV, the radio and staff.”
Bafana Msinganga describes how the storm has affected him. “This badly affected me. I would not say I am happy about it. It’s a problem because there is no one who is working in this household.”
Many people have been left homeless – while some erected temporary roofing.
Nonhlanhla Sibiya says her home is ruined.
“My furniture was ruined by the rain, most of it was ruined by the rain but only one the roof, didn’t go away. Anyway, I am very sad, I don’t have anything to fix this house and i’m just the only mother and i’m working at retail.”
Maluti-A-Phofung municipality Chief Whip, Mandlankosi Dlamini says the the affected families will be assisted.
“We’re still busy with the assessment, after the assessments, the preliminary assessments then it will be finalized and taken back to council, the Maluti-A-Phofung council. after that the district will come in and the provincial government then the damage will costed so that the households can be assisted.”
As residents struggle to rebuild their homes their only wish is to have their lives back to normal. – Reporting by Nontsokolo Stemmere
