Plane behind church collapse - survivor

Malebo Baloyi who was welcomed back by her brother Stanley Mohlala explains how she witnessed the building collapsing in front of her. Picture: Antoine de Ras, 18/09/2014

Malebo Baloyi who was welcomed back by her brother Stanley Mohlala explains how she witnessed the building collapsing in front of her. Picture: Antoine de Ras, 18/09/2014

Published Sep 18, 2014

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Johannesburg - As the building collapsed just metres in front of Emma Nkanyane, all she could hear was what sounded like “thousands of horses” as she was engulfed in dust.

She related her tale of survival at OR Tambo International Airport on Thursday morning shortly after landing, while the hopes of several other families were dashed when their relatives did not walk out of the arrivals gates.

There was a dispute on Wednesday over the death toll in Friday’s guest house collapse at the Synagogue Church of All Nations (Scoan) in Lagos, Nigeria, but the South African government has said it believes at least 67 citizens died.

Disaster aid organisation Gift of the Givers, whose rescue workers were reportedly chased away from the scene, said Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) had told it that 131 survivors were pulled from the rubble.

Nema provided a different death toll - that 63 people had died in total, including the South Africans. However, several news agencies have quoted Nema spokesman Ibrahim Farinloye as saying 70 people had died.

Nkanyane was one of the fortunate ones. From Polokwane, Limpopo, she touched down at the airport on Thursday morning from Lagos where she had gone on pilgrimage.

She was one of an estimated 300 South Africans who had travelled to see self-proclaimed prophet TB Joshua, whose church owns the guest house that collapsed.

Nkanyane said on Thursday morning she “heard the sound and then I was engulfed in this dusty mess”.

“It sounded as if thousands of horses were running towards me,” she said.

She said it was “God’s grace” that the building fell away from her.

“I tried to run but I was in heels. As I tried to run I couldn’t see where I was going, I felt I was going to die.”

She then hunched down and waited for the ordeal to end, which she said lasted about 20 seconds.

Nkanyane said she and other people then started to help the injured.

At the airport on Thursday morning, several people surrounded Nkanyane, showing her pictures of their relatives who had gone to the church and asking if she had seen them.

She hadn’t.

But Nkanyane said the incident had not affected her faith in Joshua or his church. She said she believed Joshua’s reported claims that the building was attacked by an aircraft.

“I wouldn’t say it was a fault of construction. It was an explosion because prior to that there was one (aircraft) that was moving close to the building,” she said.

Yet families in South Africa who waited at the airport for news of their relatives’ safety were less kind.

One man, who did not want to be named, said the church had initially told him his sister was fine and then said they didn’t know where she was a day later.

“How could people of God lie to us?” he asked, saying he was questioning his belief in Joshua.

Mpho Mahlwele, who was waiting for his mother, Kgomotso, said his family had struggled to get information from the church.

“(They said) don’t worry, we’re in church, just pray,” he said.

Another woman, who declined to be named, said she was frustrated with the South African government because it could not tell her where her sister was.

One of the rare happy family members was Stanley Mohlala who welcomed his sister Malebo Baloyi home with a tight hug. Baloyi, who said she had witnessed the building collapse, said she thought something had “fallen from the sky”.

This morning, there was further controversy when Gift of the Givers said its workers had been “chased away” from the scene, and threatened with arrest.

Founder Imtiaz Sooliman said: “It was like a complete lock-out. They say if you go near the church you will be arrested and charged for sabotage or something.”

Scoan denied it had refused to co-operate with rescue teams.

“It is very sad that inaccurate reports are coming from some quarters that we are not co-operating with the rescue teams and other agencies in collating information and providing assistance on the incident.

“Contrary to this, we want to categorically state that the church has provided assistance when and where required and continues to do so - good Christians are good citizens.

“We emphasise our commitment to co-operate with all relevant authorities in establishing the cause of the collapse of the building,” it said in a statement.

TB Joshua himself is yet to make an official statement about the tragedy.

The pastor, whom many of his followers refer to as “Man of God” and “Beloved Prophet”, has been heavily criticised for his silence in the wake of this calamity.

Presidential spokesman Mac Maharaj said the government believed about 300 South Africans had visited the church on Friday, but it was not clear how many were inside when the building collapsed.

“It’s a very popular church with South Africans,” Maharaj said.

The Star

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