Sne Masuku
Sne Masuku
A 12-year-old girl will live to tell how she survived when the walls of her shack home collapsed, killing her mother, her five-year-old sister and eight-month-old brother.
Boniboni Sithole was rescued by neighbours from underneath the bed where she was hiding.
She was with her mother Nomusa, her sister Thandeka and little Dumisani in the house when it was hit by the storm on Saturday.
The storm hit Amanzimtoti, KwaMakhutha and Umbumbulu.
"About 50 people with serious injuries were taken to Prince Mshiyeni Hospital and over 400 were left homeless," said local government department spokesman Lennox Mabasa.
Mfikiselwa Shange, a neighbour who managed to pull Boniboni to safety, said he was in his house when he saw the walls at the Sithole's home fall apart.
"I called other neighbours to come and help. We pulled the body of the five-year-old girl and then that of the mother and the eight-month-old who was still in his mother's arms.
Shange said he thought they had removed everyone from the house when he heard the little girl crying.
"She was under the bed, she would have died with her family members if she did not think of hiding under the bed.
"She was very brave. She is still very shocked and disturbed and she needs professional help," said Shange.
Another family lost a 26-year-old family member and a mother of two boys aged four and five.
Wendy Makhanya died instantly after a brick from her collapsing home hit her in the head. Her mother Beauty and her two sons Linda, 5, and Wandile, 4, survived.
storm kills family
Sne Masuku
Sne Masuku
A 12-year-old girl will live to tell how she survived when the walls of her shack home collapsed, killing her mother, her five-year-old sister and eight-month-old brother.
Boniboni Sithole was rescued by neighbours from underneath the bed where she was hiding.
She was with her mother Nomusa, her sister Thandeka and little Dumisani in the house when it was hit by the storm on Saturday.
The storm hit Amanzimtoti, KwaMakhutha and Umbumbulu.
"About 50 people with serious injuries were taken to Prince Mshiyeni Hospital and over 400 were left homeless," said local government department spokesman Lennox Mabasa.
Mfikiselwa Shange, a neighbour who managed to pull Boniboni to safety, said he was in his house when he saw the walls at the Sithole's home fall apart.
"I called other neighbours to come and help. We pulled the body of the five-year-old girl and then that of the mother and the eight-month-old who was still in his mother's arms.
Shange said he thought they had removed everyone from the house when he heard the little girl crying.
"She was under the bed, she would have died with her family members if she did not think of hiding under the bed.
"She was very brave. She is still very shocked and disturbed and she needs professional help," said Shange.
Another family lost a 26-year-old family member and a mother of two boys aged four and five.
Wendy Makhanya died instantly after a brick from her collapsing home hit her in the head. Her mother Beauty and her two sons Linda, 5, and Wandile, 4, survived.