PHALABORWA – Tourism in Phalaborwa and surrounding areas have been devastated by the recent floods, with Kambuka II Boat Safaris and Lodge on the Olifants River among the hardest hit.

“We have lost our entire 30 years just like that”

The entire lodge was washed away, resulting in the loss of both the business and the owners’ home.

According to co-owner Brenda du Plessis, who runs the lodge with her husband Leon, the devastation is overwhelming. “We are devastated. We have lost our entire 30 years just like that,” she told the Herald.

A BackaBuddy fundraising campaign with a target of R500 000 has been launched to assist the family. At the time of going to print on Tuesday, R170 000 had already been raised. The family said the support will help them rebuild their lives.

The couple’s daughter, Tanya Rijnen, has been sharing updates on Facebook, showing the extent of the damage to the property. She has also been thanking donors and members of the public for their support and contributions to the fundraising campaign.

Could earlier action have limited the damage?

Meanwhile, allegations have surfaced that before the lodge was completely flooded, Leon approached Lepelle Northern Water (LNW) to request that the Olifants River barrage sluice gates be opened to allow excess water to flow downstream.

Some believe that opening the sluices earlier could have reduced the extent of the damage.

The Herald asked multiple times for comment from LNW spokesperson, Joe Makhafola regarding these allegations, but no response has been received.

Floods cripple local access and tourism

Elsewhere, a lodge owner in Silonque said flood damage has left roads in such poor condition that guest houses in the area are inaccessible to both residents and visitors. He joked that the only way to reach Silonque at present is by helicopter.

The Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism (Ledet) has described the recent destructive rainfall as a second major blow to the tourism industry in five years, following the impact of Covid-19.

Limpopo Tourism Agency CEO Moses Ngobeni said the situation is heartbreaking, not only for individual businesses but for the entire tourism sector.

“Together with Ledet and the national Department of Tourism, we are collecting information on the damage. This will help us assess the extent of the impact and determine how best we can assist affected establishments to recover,” Ngobeni said.