Tongaat tornado: Residents pick up the pieces

THREE months after a tornado hit Tongaat, residents who lost their homes and possessions are still picking up the pieces.

On June 3, the tornado left a wake of destruction, leaving more than a thousand residents displaced, hundreds of homes destroyed, and 12 dead.

Sandfields, Jan Roz, Burbreeze, Seatides and Desainagar were the hardest-hit areas.

At the time, the South African Weather Service said the tornado was rated as an EF3 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, with estimated wind speeds of 225km/h to 265km/h.

Last week, the POST visited some of the affected areas, where work was ongoing to repair roofs, windows, boundary walls and infrastructure.

However, some of the homes, which were severely damaged, remained the same, with only the bare structures still standing.

Shakila Ramlakhan, 63, of Rama Drive, in Sandfields, said after many delays for her insurance claim to be processed, repairs to her home recently started.

She said during the tornado, the roof was blown off, 37 out of 39 windows were broken, and most of her furniture and other belongings had been destroyed.

“We had to literally start from scratch. Thankfully, the structure is strong and did not incur too much damage. However, it has taken a long time to start repairs because the insurance company took about 14 weeks to decide whether it would pay.

“We were informed that we didn’t qualify for a full payout and would need to pay 10% of the claim back as excess before it could assist. We incurred more than R2 million in damages,” she said.

Ramlakhan said the past two years had been emotionally draining.

“First we had the flood in April 2022 and I had to be rescued from my home. In July last year, seven armed men came into my home and robbed me of whatever little was left after the floods. In December last year, we had a lighting storm which caused all the plug points and electrical equipment to stop working. Then I was hit by the tornado. A week before the tornado, I had just completed all of the repairs to my home caused by the floods.

“Everything that had happened prior to the tornado took a toll on my well-being. I battled with anxiety and fear which I had to seek treatment for. However, I realised I need to pull myself together. If it had not been for my faith in God, I would not have been able to get through this recent disaster. Now, I just try to keep my faith and pray. I know I am now stronger if faced with another tragedy,” she said.

Rajan Bholai, 64, who lives at the corner of Naidoo Road and Naidoo Knoll, said repairs were almost complete due to the generosity of businesses and organisations which had assisted the community. He said two houses on his premises were damaged.

“I was not at home during the time and wasn’t able to get into the area because all entry and exits had been completely blocked-off. However, when I saw the destruction, I was heartbroken. I felt as if I was reliving a nightmare. During the floods in April 2022, both houses, one of which was a double-storey, were submerged in water and all of my belongings were damaged.

“This time, the roof of both the houses were blown off, and the windows and doors were all broken. The boundary wall had flown about 200 metres away. I am a pensioner and had no idea how I was ever going to rebuild. But thankfully, some great businesses and organisations have been assisting the community to rebuild.

“The double-storey building, however, is now a single storey. The roof, windows and doors have been replaced. Work is still ongoing on the other house as the roofing, tiling and window

replacement still need to be completed. I am also still rebuilding the boundary wall. I am hopeful that in the next 10 months the rebuilding process will be completed,” he said.

Nandha Reddy, 54, of Krishnapuri Road, in Sandfields, said his property was extensively damaged. He said the rebuilding was a slow, but steady process.

“The roof, garage door and carport had blown away. The windows, doors, boundary wall and gate were destroyed.

All of our belongings and furniture were also damaged in the rain that followed.

“The rebuilding process is taking time. However, the roof was done about a month ago, and the front wall was rebuilt.

“Thankfully, I have a good insurance company. We are also just taking each day as it comes. Everyone has been asking how am I able to smile when I talk about what has happened, but all of these things were just material. Our lives are more important,” he said.

The POST