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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Gwanda Correspondent
SEVERAL houses and other infrastructure in Gwanda has been destroyed by heavy rains that were accompanied by strong winds.
Matabeleland South Civil Protection Unit Committee Chairperson, who is also the Provincial Administrator, Ms Sthandiwe Ncube, said a detailed report was yet to be compiled but information gathered so far shows that several houses in Gwanda Town had their roofs blown off during the incident which occurred on Monday night at around 8PM.
She said a municipality pre-school and part of the Pelandaba Stadium roof terraces were damaged.
Ms Ncube said the damage was being assessed by a technical team.
“A technical team is on the ground to try and assess the level of damage. We are yet to compile a detailed report but several houses had their roofs blown off while other infrastructure was also damaged by strong winds on Monday night,” she said.
The Chronicle yesterday visited some of the affected houses where families pointed out that they were in dire need of assistance.
Ms Siphiwe Moyo (36), who is a student at Joshua Mqabuko Polytechnic College and stays at Garikai/ Hlalani Kuhle Houses, said their roof was blown off by strong winds and all her food was damaged by rains.
She said she also lost all her school materials.
“I don’t know what to do as I speak because this incident has left me in despair. The rains started around 8PM when we were preparing to go to sleep. The rains were accompanied by strong winds which blew off my roof made of asbestos. I had to flee from the house with my two children because the roof was collapsing and we sought refuge at a neighbour’s house.
“When I came back all my property was soaked in water. All the food was destroyed by the water, we have tried to dry some of it but I doubt we can salvage anything. I also lost my college books which comprise text books, notebooks and my syllabuses. I’m really devastated as this means I will have to start afresh,” Ms Moyo said.
Ms Moyo, who stays with her younger sister and two children aged four years and one year eight months, said she didn’t know where they would stay or what they would eat. She appealed for assistance in repairing her home and buying food for her family.
Mr Gilbert Ndlovu (39), also from Garikai / Hlalani Kuhle who works as a gold panner, said the roofing to his two roomed house was blown off. He said he also fled in the middle of the night to a neighbour’s house.
Mrs Veronica Jubane (54), who is also from the same suburb, said the winds blew off the roof to two of her rooms in her house. She said some windows were also broken.
“We woke up at around 9PM and saw that things were bad. Part of the roof to my bedroom had been blown off and water was filling the floor. Some of the windows were damaged in the process. I’m afraid that if it rains again before the roof is repaired we shall have problems. Our food was also soaked in water and we have laid it out to try and dry it,” she said.
—@DubeMatutu
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