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2YR-OLD, FAMILY ENDURE 10HRS IN TREE

20/02/2023 06:52:00 Thokozani Mamba

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VUVULANE – A two-year-old child endured 10 hours of hunger and being exposed to the cold as her family house was swept away by floods.

This follows the torrential rains experienced from the night of February 10, 2023 at Vuvulane, where a family of eight had to be rescued with a speed boat. The minor from a Makwakwa family was on her mother’s back as they awaited help while clinging on the branches of a tree. This story depicted a similar scenario that took place in 2016 during Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, when Amela spent four days in a tree with her newborn child before being rescued by a Plan International search and rescue boat.

Cyclone

The cyclone hit her home town of Buzi in Sofala province with thousands seriously affected. Like 91 000 others in Mozambique, Amela’s house was destroyed and flooded. She and her family were forced to flee. In the confusion, the adults ran in different directions and Amela ran to the nearest tree with her newborn, losing sight of her husband and other children.

Closer to home at Vuvulane, at around 2am on the fateful day, Ernest Makwakwa, who was asleep with his wife in his stick and mud house, heard screams from his five children who were sleeping in another house built with reeds and logs, requesting for help as the structure had collapsed. The children are aged between two and 21. The family’s farm produce was also swept away by the floods. The destroyed family’s home is sandwiched by the main road from Tambankulu to Mhlume and Mbuluzana River that is almost 100m away from the structures that were destroyed by the floods.

Narrating the ordeal, Makwakwa said he had to ensure that his children were safe after he removed them from the collapsed structure and walked them to a nearby tree, where they held onto the branches. Two of the children are doing Grade I at Vuvulane Primary School. During the night, Makwakwa said he was engulfed with trauma as his main worry was that the two-year-old child was susceptible to the risk of dying due to the cold temperatures accompanied by showers while awaiting help.

Adding, Makwakwa said when dawn broke, they started to scream and some motorists from the main road heard them. He said the house built with reed and logs that was occupied by the children was swept away by the floods with household items including clothes and food.

Situation

He said some people at a village called Mgidzangcunu situated about half a kilometre away called the Bucopho Nhlanhla Shabangu to inform the police about their situation. Makwakwa shared that at around noon; a team of police officers accompanied by scuba divers came to their rescue. The family is currently residing with a Mahlalela family for now and has already started to clear land where they intend to build their new home.

“They found all of us exhausted and shivering from the chilly weather. My two-year-old daughter looked pale but she survived. The others were also pale and hungry with exhaustion written on their faces. They took us to the Mhlume Clinic to receive medical attention and then arranged that we reside with a neighbour for now, while efforts of securing building material are being made,” he said.

Asked if the children were engaged in counseling sessions after the unfortunate incident, Makwakwa said social workers advised him to make sure that they attend psychological therapy at the Mhlume Clinic. The family is currently sleeping in a corrugated iron sheet shack at the Mahlalela homestead at Mgidzangcunu Village. Makwakwa appealed for financial support to buy food and clothes.

He also requested donations to buy building material for his new house. “We lost everything to the floods, we have nothing to eat. We also don’t have clothes and blankets and my two-year-old daughter has caught flu as she has been coughing persistently,” Makwakwa said. He further shared that his children were the most affected by the situation that unfolded, hence he was worried about their performance in school.

Support

He mentioned that he arrived at Vuvulane seven years ago and sought land from the Royal Eswatini Sugar (RES) Corporation with the other farmers to use it for fresh vegetable farming as their source of income. Vuvulane Bucopho Shabangu has also appealed to members of the public and companies to support the affected families who lost their valuables during the floods.

“They were left with only the clothes they were wearing. We request building material and food including clothes. They can be reached on 7692 7535 or 7807 0501. I can also be contacted on 7612 8036,” he said. A Mandlazi family has also not been spared by the floods as their shack made from reed and logs was also swept away by the floods.
“We appeal for financial assistance to rebuild our houses. We survive through farming and don’t have any source of income. Our farm produce was also swept away by the floods,” Make Mandlazi said.