Wind causes havoc in eMalahleni

Heavy winds caused a lot of damage as some residents found their garages and walls blown over.

On Thursday evening, October 9 at approximately 19:00 the wind picked up, as many residents were hoping for rain.
Areas that were mostly affected by the strong wind were Tasbet Park, Klipfontein, Extension 16 and Reyno Ridge.
The winds managed to lift corrugated iron sheeting off shop roofs, blow steel garage doors off their rails into the road, brick walls were blown over, carports were damaged and trees were uprooted.

Ms Antoane Meyer’s husband had to go help his parents in-law as three sections of their palisade fencing was pulled out of the wall by the wind.
“In Extension 16 the wind was very bad, coincidently we watched the movie ‘Into the storm’,” said Ms Marlene van Heerden.

At Laerskool Klipfontein the wind managed to completely blow the roofs off some of the classrooms.
“We have sent in the insurance claim and we are waiting for the roofs to be repaired,” said the receptionist at the school.

“The fascia boards of our house were lifted off and landed on top of the roof on the DSTV dish. The wind was really bad,” said Ms Janeen de Jager.
In Hans Strydom Street big trees were blown over and lay on the pavement.
All down Paul Sauer Street the wind managed to blow over steel dustbins that were secured to concrete blocks, leaving the rubbish that was in the bins scattered in the open field.

By Friday, October 10 the rubbish bins were picked up and so was majority of the rubbish.
Most of the residents in eMalahleni started doing repairs to their fences and homes on Friday, while others continued on Monday, October 13.