Durban - A man is “confused” after he and his 3-year-old daughter survived a lightning strike, which killed his girlfriend and their 6-month-old son in Nquthu, northern Zululand, this weekend.
Mthokozisi Shabangu, 28, of Mphondi area, told the Daily News on Sunday that he was dismayed at his survival with his 3-year-old daughter, Aphiwe Shabangu, who he was carrying when the incident happened on Saturday at about 6pm.
He was walking with his girlfriend Nokubonga Sithole, 24, and their son, Ayabonga Shabangu, both of whom died.
“I am still confused and shaking with fear when thinking about the tragedy,” Shabangu said..
All I heard and saw was a roaring bolt of lightning… after a while I woke up and struggled to stand up. I felt weak on my knees. I do not know what happened to them (Nokubonga and Ayabonga).”
Shabangu said that when he woke up, a lot of people had gathered to help, but it was too late for his girlfriend and son, who died instantly.
Shabangu said they had all been going to his nearby home. Shabangu was taken to Nquthu hospital. He was discharged late in the evening.
“We were just strolling on the gravel road when a mild rain fell,” he said.
Nokubonga’s sister, Busi Sithole, said she was shocked after receiving the news about her sister’s death.
“Everyone at home has been traumatised. The mood is very tense at the moment. It is painful. My mother had been attending a cousin’s wedding when she received the news. She had to be monitored closely after she collapsed the moment she heard about it,” Busi said.
The KZN MEC for Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube, warned people to always be alert during thunderstorms.
“It is that time of the year when all of us need to be very cautious because of the weather. Our thoughts are with the families that have been affected by this incident and I would like to assure all members of the public that our disaster management centres have been activated and are more than ready to act when disasters strike,” Dube-Ncube said.
Daily News