KZN church collapse victims identified
The identities of the 13 worshippers who died when a wall at their church collapsed shortly after 10pm on Thursday have been revealed.
A 13-year-old, Mthabela Andiswa, was the only male among the dead, and was the youngest victim. They all lost their lives at the Pentecostal Holiness Church in northern KwaZulu-Natal following a violent storm which swept across the province, leaving behind a trail of damage and destruction.
The following list of names has been provided to TimesLIVE, including the areas the victims were from:
- Samkelisiwe Mzila - Ulundi
- Lungi Mcambi - eSikhawini
- Nokuthula Hlongwane - Ulundi
- Bongekile Masondo - eSikhawini
- Ntando Mlondi - eSikhawini
- Thandazo Dube - Ulundi
- Minenhle Mdluli - Ulundi
- Thule Ncube - eSikhawini
- Mthabela Andiswa - Maqhwakazi
- Thembi Mthabela - Maqhwakazi
- Alta Langa - Maqhwakazi
- Alice Mhlongo - eSikhawini
- Nonkanyiselo Shandu - Ulundi
A further five people were critically injured and taken to hospital, while 11 others with minor injuries were treated at the Ngwelezane Clinic in Empangeni.
Minister of Labour Mildred Oliphant in Mtimona (Ward 31) - near Empangeni in northern KZN - where a structure collapsed at the Pentecostal Holiness Church last night killing 13 people and injuring 16. @timesliveza pic.twitter.com/mFc5R0kbyR
— Orrin Singh (@orrin417) April 19, 2019