Storm damage closes historic Regina Mundi Church

Regina Mundi Catholic Church (RMCC) and Reutlwile Junior Secondary School were both damaged during a severe storm in Soweto on October 19.

As Soweto Urban visited the church, damaged areas were clearly visible, with strong winds having blown off sections of the roof.

Naomi Rakgomo, the parish secretary for RMCC, said the incident occurred suddenly while she was inside the building.

“There was loud thunder; there was some very strong wind that came through. I remember I was seated here on my chair and I just saw wind coming through, and then I just stood up and closed the door,” she said.

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Rakgomo said she went to investigate after hearing the church doors banging. While trying to close them, she heard a loud sound near the central aisle and altar.

She called one of the workers, Lebo Monaheng, to investigate. The pair discovered that sections of the ceiling were coming down near the arches on the far right.

“The church itself inside, while we were still there, was engulfed with a lot of dust that was coming from that rattling of the roof ceilings,” she said.

Rakgomo said she and Monaheng were not injured.

“Had that wind been strong enough, the ceiling inside would have fallen down. Miraculously and through God’s mercy, Monaheng and I were not injured. We managed to escape,” she said.

An assessor has inspected the building and assessed the damage. However, Rakgomo said she could not disclose the estimated repair costs because the parish financial division was handling the matter.

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She said the church was closed until further notice due to the risk of further damage and the possibility of the ceiling collapsing.

“The church is not accessible until further notice because should anything else happen within the church, there would be more damage,” she said.

The closure is expected to affect the church financially, as it is also a tourist site that generates revenue through tourism.

“That is a huge setback for us at the moment. But we cannot despair. There will be a solution,” Rakgomo said.

The parish pastoral council was expected to meet on Thursday or Friday to decide how services and activities would continue, including whether an alternative venue would be used.

Rakgomo said a building construction company sent by the assessor was expected to inspect the premises to evaluate potential repairs.

She added that the parish priest was away on a spiritual retreat when the storm struck.

A broader media update will follow the leadership meeting, when the church will advise the community and potential donors if assistance is needed.

History of the church

The RMCC holds historical significance in Soweto.

According to Rakgomo, the church provided shelter to youths during the 1976 Soweto uprising and subsequent political unrest.

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She explained that the church still bears bullet marks from 1976. In addition, the main altar was damaged, and she said the hands of the giant crucifix of Jesus Christ at the back of the church were broken by police at the time.

The church also hosted hearings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission between 1995 and 1998, chaired by the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Former US first lady Michelle Obama visited the parish in June 2011.

However, Rakgomo emphasised the difference between the historical damage and the recent storm damage.

“This damage to the roof ceiling from the thunderstorm can be classified as a natural disaster because it is not man-made,” she said.

She added that the church received no compensation for damage suffered during political unrest, with repairs funded by the parish itself.

Meanwhile, Reutlwile Junior Secondary School in Molapo also sustained damage during the storm.

Further details on the extent of the damage and its impact on teaching and learning were unavailable at the time of writing.

Soweto Urban sent a media inquiry to the Gauteng Department of Education. A response was not received at the time of going to print.