Maria Nyambose is grieving and in pain. The 36-year old mother of 16-month-old twin girls, Nawinna and Nashant, was pinned under a wall when a tornado ripped through Tongaat, north of Durban, on Monday.
Nawinna lay crushed under a fridge and Nashant was critically injured after being flung out of the house in Sandfields.
Nyambose, struggling with her injuries, is now battling to get her toddler's body released from the morgue because she doesn’t have proper identification documents — lost in the tornado.
It was a cold evening and she was preparing to give Nawinna a bath while Nashant was playing when disaster struck.
“All of a sudden it got blustery and I went to close the door. I didn't get there because the tornado struck and things were flying all over the place. Before long it was over and I was under some bricks. I looked for Nashant but couldn’t find her and when I looked for Nawinna, I saw she was stuck beneath the fridge. I shouted for help,” said Nyambose.
Their tenant’s son, Sphelele Mngadi, managed to pull Nawinna’s body from under the fridge but she was dead. Then he found her sister, who was struggling to breathe. Reaction Unit South Africa took the mother and child to hospital.
Nyambose, who arrived in Tongaat from Mozambique in February to visit the girls’ father, John Matemela, said they lost everything in the storm. He was not home at the time.
The torrential rain and tornado which swept through parts of the province claimed 12 lives. Tongaat, Sandfields, Fairbreeze, Magwaveni, Newtown and Seatides were hardest hit in the eThekwini municipality, with at least seven people reported dead. Other district municipalities affected included iLembe, King Cetshwayo, Amajuba, Umzinyathi and Umkhanyakude.
More than 7,000 households were damaged, affecting about 17,000 people. More than 1,200 homeless families are receiving humanitarian aid. Eighteen schools were damaged. Disaster teams are continuing with assessments to establish the extent of the destruction.
“I’m only left with what is on me. I don’t know where to go from here because I’m homeless. I even lost my documents like my passport,” sobbed Nyambose.
Provincial social development department spokesperson Mhlaba Memela said a social worker had been assigned to assist the family.
“It was brought to our attention that the family had faced issues at the Phoenix mortuary. Due to not having enough documentation they were unable to identify the child’s body, said Memela.
The social worker would help the family obtain documents and an affidavit from the Tongaat police station so they can identify the body. “We are prioritising this matter and we are doing our best to assist where we can. We offered social support to the mother because we understand the seriousness of her trauma and her state.”
Nyambose said Nashant, who sustained head injuries and a dislocated jaw, was moved out of intensive care and is slowly regaining her strength.
“All I can do is to pray to God and ask him to forgive me of my sin and I ask of him to spare my girl as she is all that I have right now to hold and carry on. The loss of a child is a pain no parent should ever endure. I indeed wish that we didn't come here to South Africa, perhaps this wouldn’t have happened. I would still have my babies with me,” she said.
Criminals were reported to be operating in Magwaveni, Fairbreeeze, Sea Tides, Newtown and Sandfields
Tons of relief aid, including food, toiletries, blankets, water and clothes, have poured into affected communities since Tuesday as political parties, NGOs and civic bodies stepped in to assist.
Mass care centres and schools were opened to accommodate families whose homes had been flattened or had roofs torn off, but many discovered criminals had made off with appliances, furniture and other goods from their unprotected properties.
“There are always opportunists who are waiting for any chance to loot people’s hard work and their ‘work’ is made easier by the darkness since we don’t have any electricity now. There is still stuff that can be salvaged, I just found my toolbox,” said a resident.
Criminals were reported to be operating in Magwaveni, Fairbreeeze, Sea Tides, Newtown and Sandfields.
Community leaders who rallied around to provide relief and help rebuild have petitioned the president to declare a state of disaster.
Roshan Lil-Ruthan of the Verulam water crisis committee said: “The magnitude of the destruction and the resultant displacement demands swift and decisive action to provide relief, support, and essential resources to those affected. We implore your urgent intervention to enable the delivery of humanitarian aid, shelter, medical care and other vital assistance to the affected communities.”
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