What began as a night of heavy rain in Greytown quickly turned into a nightmare for the Ntombela family, who are now trying to rebuild their lives after lightning struck their home and set it alight during Sunday’s severe weather. Bukeka Ntombela said the storm felt unlike anything she had experienced. Rain poured relentlessly and, within minutes, the house began leaking in several places, leaving no dry space for herself, her child and her brother to sleep.
As the situation worsened, they sought shelter at a relative’s home in the same yard.Just after 11pm, Ntombela woke up to a strange glow outside. There was this bright light in the yard, which was strange because we had no electricity, so I didn’t understand what it could be. “When I went outside, I saw our house burning, and you could tell the fire had started a while ago,” she said.
Nothing was spared: identity documents, clothing, furniture, food and all their belongings were lost. “We stood there watching everything we’d worked for disappear. It still doesn’t feel real.
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“I don’t have a stable or permanent job. It was hard enough to get this roof over our heads, and now it’s gone,” Ntombela said. With neither Bukeka nor her brother employed, the loss has landed heavily.
The siblings have no idea how they will begin to rebuild, especially as the region continues to endure unpredictable and increasingly severe weather. What troubles them most is not just the destruction, but the mystery surrounding it. “We’re still trying to understand how lightning could do this. You hear of houses being struck, but you never think it will happen to you — and not to this extent,” she said.
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