Bandile and Asanda Xulu outside their grandmother’s home in eMpolweni, near Pietermaritzburg, which collapsed after being hit by a tornado in November.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu
At least 44 people were killed, 193 injured and 30,000 affected by storms which wreaked havoc in KwaZulu-Natal between November 2019 and January this year.

This was revealed by the departments of co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) and basic education during a joint media briefing in the Harry Gwala district municipality on Thursday.

Addressing the media at the Umzimkhulu council chambers, Cogta minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said 445 incidents were reported to disaster management centres in the province from November 2019 to January 9, 2020.

“We have established through evidence on the ground that the province of KwaZulu-Natal has, since November 2019, experienced a number of extreme weather-related incidents including fatal thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, and strong winds.

“The latest incidents occurred during the festive season, as many were preparing to celebrate Christmas and usher in the New Year,” she said.

These were:

• 112 incidents related to strong wind

• 67 related to lightning

• 133 structural fires

• 108 incidents of heavy rainfall

• 19 hailstorms

• 8 drownings.

Dlamini-Zuma, with basic education minister Angie Motshekga and Premier Sihle Zikalala, spent most of Thursday morning visiting some of the 15 schools in Harry Gwala district that were damaged by storms.