#Opinion: Stories from the storm – a year on from the Tongaat Tornado

Amuda Lola – I thank God for restoration every time I drive past the school, Sahiti, Desainager and Seatides. The vegetation has also grown. God bless all the people who came to our aid. Thank you and bless you.

Melanie Maistry – We the residents of Tongaat, did not get any early warnings or signals of any tornado. It was a normal Monday afternoon, at about 4.10pm and we were all outside making videos of the hailstones. Suddenly, the entire sky became dark and the sound of heavy winds approached. I got a phone call from my mum and as I looked down across the river towards Sandfields, I saw something like a tornado fast approaching. I screamed to my mum “tornado” and the call got cut. I told my daughter and my nephew to take the dog and run inside while I locked the gate and the door. Within a minute all we could hear was like a train coming over our house. I could hear the kids screaming, windows busting, tree branches coming through the roof, everything that was lifted up was flying and hitting our house. Once I got into the house, I screamed for the kids, we ran into the passage with the dog, covered each other and started praying for our lives. The kids were screaming that the house was going to fly away because the whole house was shaking.Suddenly it went silent. I looked at my watch and it was around 4.17pm. Within two minutes it all was over. We tried making a call and our phones did not work. We went outside and saw a catastrophe. We could hear screams for help coming from the bottom of Naidoo Road. My prayers go out to those families who lost a loved one during the tornado and to every victim of the tornado. I know today is not an easy day at all for each and every victim. One year later and the victims are still picking up the pieces.

Anita Maistry – I thank God every day for sparing us that dreadful day. That huge black “circular motion” whirl of wind went over my home. It sounded like an engine of a plane about to explode. Then everything went dark. Then bright again. All communication was lost with the outside world. Electricity was out. Thanks to God Almighty for sparing us and for giving us the strength to help those who were in dire need. One year on, we continue to soldier on.

Rooksana Basha – The tornado personally for me was a life changing lesson. The community of Tongaat will never be able to recover from this tragedy. There is no closure, especially for those who have lost loved ones and their families in this tragic situation. The storm has passed so fast and we have been praying for them all the way through.

Vimla Erusan – Our lives were destroyed. To get to our homes took forever. I couldn’t comprehend that my house was destroyed. Our lives have also changed drastically. Time may heal the pain but we carry it for eternity.

Verona Balram – Yes we did recover but the fear when it is windy, raining or thundering. We are still frightened.

Isabel Pieterse – I literally drove home parallel with the storm luckily in the direction of Tinley Manor. Driving carefully but trying to get home as quick as I could as my husband, who was disabled, was alone on the farm. I got home safely but a bit shaken. Everything looked a bit chaotic as trees had shed branches all over the dirtroad where we then lived. Gert was ecstatic to see that I was okay. But as we sat down for supper the big dogs started barking frantically. I took a torch, went outside and there, in the pouring rain, was this tiny little black creature that the dogs were trying to pin between the pillar and their food dish. A little feral kitten! I knew they were going to be upset if I took this little scrap inside but I didn’t think twice! She bit the hell out of me, but accepted the food I offered her. It took me a little less than two months to get her to come out of the back room and get used to the dogs, but at last they are best friends. When Gert passed away in August she became one of my greatest comforts and I now believe what he told me that night: “It’s as if she was sent to us.” Gremlin Pieterse, my emotional support cat if you can call her that! This is the good story that makes me remember that night.

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