Two killed by lightning and houses collapse in KZN storms

Two people, including a 10-year-old boy, lost their lives in storms that plundered parts of KwaZulu-Natal.

The co-operative governance and traditional affairs department in the province said the boy, a Grade 4 pupil, was struck by lightning in Ofafa near Ixopo on Monday.

“The reports received by the department indicate that the learner was part of a group that was on their way to school at Lufafa Primary School when the incident occurred.

“In the second incident, which occurred in the Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma local municipality, in the Gobhogobho area, a 45-year-old male was killed during a lightning strike at his home.”

MEC Sipho Hlomuka said mop-up operations have begun in storm-hit areas.

“Yesterday, disaster management teams responded to incidents in Durban, La Mercy, where parts of a road collapsed and resulted in a section of a house being washed away. In KwaDukuza, a house collapsed as a result of the heavy rains.

Hlomuka urged municipalities to ensure that stormwater drainage systems are regularly maintained to limit the risk of water building up.

He also appealed to residents to dispose of litter responsibly.

“From the assessment done by the department, the failure to dispose of litter properly by residents contributes to the blocking of stormwater drainage systems,” said Hlomuka.

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