Key Takeaways
- The Mthatha floods in June claimed 102 lives and left many families homeless and grieving.
- Nosipho Dabane, a 41-year-old flood survivor, lost her husband and one of her children in the floods, and her 15-year-old son remains missing.
- The festive season has reopened wounds that have barely begun to heal for Dabane, who is struggling to come to terms with her loss.
- The Eastern Cape government announced the allocation of temporary residential units for displaced families, but Dabane says she struggles to stay in hers due to emotional distress.
- Despite the challenges, Dabane holds on to hope that one day she will bury her son properly and find closure.
Introduction to the Story
The sound of children’s laughter and the bustle of festive shopping will be a painful reminder of what Nosipho Dabane has lost. Instead of celebrating Christmas with her family, she will be navigating grief, silence, and unanswered questions. The devastating floods that tore through Mthatha in June robbed Dabane of almost everything she held dear, leaving her to mourn the loss of her husband and child, and to cling to hope that one day she will also lay her youngest son to rest.
The Aftermath of the Floods
Dabane is among the survivors of the Mthatha floods, which claimed 102 lives and left scores of families homeless and grieving. Six months later, the festive season has reopened wounds that have barely begun to heal. Dabane’s husband and one of her children were swept away and later found dead, while her 15-year-old son, Lusanele, remains missing. The pain of her loss is still raw, and the thought of celebrating Christmas without her loved ones is almost too much to bear.
Memories of the Past
As Dabane scrolls through her phone, videos of a happier time play on repeat: family outings, smiling children, matching outfits. The memories of her happy family are a bittersweet reminder of what she has lost. "They loved wearing the same clothes," she says, her voice breaking. "We were a happy family. In life, you don’t know what will happen the next second. I had everything, and in the blink of an eye, it was all gone." The thought of her children and husband is still too painful to confront, and Dabane finds herself avoiding town because it hurts too much.
The Night of the Flood
For the first time, Dabane speaks in detail about the night her life changed forever. "We were woken up by the children saying there was water in the house," she recalls. "It was early morning, time to get ready for school. I told them to put on clothes so we could look for shelter." The water was already rising, and Dabane’s husband and children went to the bedroom while she went to the kitchen. Then, a loud bang, and part of the house collapsed. Dabane was swept away, and she found herself praying for her life as she was carried downstream.
Survival and Loss
Disorientated and injured, Dabane found refuge at a house with lights still on in Joe Slovo township, far from her home. She later collapsed at the local chief’s place and was taken to the hospital, where she was treated and discharged the same day. When she returned to the area where her home once stood, there was nothing left. Dabane thought her family had been taken to the hospital, but the next day at the mortuary, she saw her niece, still wearing her school uniform. It took a week to find her 12-year-old son, who was discovered buried beneath zinc sheets and mud by community members searching for their own loved ones. Her husband’s body was found the following day, but Lusanele has never been found.
Broken Promises and Temporary Homes
After the floods, the Eastern Cape government announced the allocation of 672 temporary residential units for displaced families. Dabane received one, but says she struggles to stay there. "I get too emotional seeing my son’s peers playing outside. It feels like I might see him," she says. "There’s also no electricity." The government also pledged R2,700 relocation vouchers per affected household to ease the transition, but Dabane says she never received hers. "The premier said a lot, but it ended there," she says. "It was just empty promises… We received food parcels, but I don’t know what happened to the vouchers."
Holding on to Hope
Despite everything, hope remains: "I still believe that one day I will bury my son properly. Until then, I am just surviving." Dabane will return to Barkly East this Christmas, not for celebration but for comfort. "I don’t want my mother to feel like her grandchildren are no more," she says. The thought of her son and husband is still too painful to confront, but Dabane holds on to the hope that one day she will find closure and be able to move on from her loss.