Gale force winds ravaged parts of Grahamstown as extreme weather hit the Eastern Cape in the past few days.Strong winds ripped off roof tops and left many people homeless.
In Joza and Extension 9 a number of residents watched as their homes were devastated by the storm. Pep Stores in Market Square Mall had to be closed early because the roof started leaking as it almost blew away.
Gale force winds ravaged parts of Grahamstown as extreme weather hit the Eastern Cape in the past few days.Strong winds ripped off roof tops and left many people homeless.
In Joza and Extension 9 a number of residents watched as their homes were devastated by the storm. Pep Stores in Market Square Mall had to be closed early because the roof started leaking as it almost blew away.
The wind is believed to have affected electricity supply in Grahamstown with a number of businesses forced to close shop on Tuesday and Wednesday after they lost power.
Traffic lights in the city centre were reported to have been off yesterday. Taxis in the township were fuller than normal and there were fewer people in the streets as the icy cold weather, accompanied by showers, intensified.
On Tuesday morning, Extension 9 resident Betty Fobe and her family, including two toddlers, got the shock of their lives when the wind blew off their roof while they were sleeping at around 1.30am.
Fobe told Grocott’s Mail it felt like she was dreaming when she heard a big bang as the roof top fell into the house and rain started poured in.
When her furniture and TV got damaged, Fobe realised she had been hit by a storm. She said that the room where her children were sleeping had also been damaged. The Fobes are currently staying in their neighbour Lindiwe Ellis’ house. “I was scared, and the tears filled my eyes as I knew I have nowhere to go,” said Fobe.
“The next morning I tried to tie things together but the destructive and incontrollable wind swept away all that,” she added. So far no one has come to give her a hand. Her neighbour said, "I heard people calling me at night and when I looked outside, Betty’s roof was gone, I quickly took the children."
Another resident, Zola Ntloko said she has been having sleepless nights because she is afraid that her roof might be blown off. She said: “Winter is a shameless season, to almost everyone everywhere, you are always scared and pray to wake up the next day without any of your things damaged.” Similarly, Thembeka Ntlumbini of Joza Street, woke up on Wednesday morning to find that the roof of her veranda had been ripped off by the wind.
Many residents in the township countered the chilly weather by making imbawula, metal drums in which a fire is lit.
Fingo resident Mhloli Mvemve, who sells vegetables in Albert Road, and his friend Richard Mhlongo were sitting around their imbawula while taking turns to collect wood. Mvemve said: “Windy, cold or not, I have to wake up early in the morning to do my business."
