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A hailstorm destroyed several homes in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality in the Eastern Cape on 16 December.
Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality/Facebook
- Several households were left homeless in Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality after a devastating hailstorm destroyed multiple homes on 16 December.
- The South African Weather Service has issued a Level 2 warning for severe thunderstorms on Wednesday, affecting 12 other local municipalities across the same area.
- Displaced residents like Nosakhele Ntamo are staying with relatives while waiting for promised temporary housing.
Nosakhele Ntamo remains displaced after a devastating hailstorm destroyed multiple homes in the Raymond Mhlaba Local Municipality, Eastern Cape, on 16 December.
The severe weather event left dozens of residents homeless across the municipality.
While some affected families have begun rebuilding their damaged properties, 50-year-old Ntamo, a resident of Zigodlo Village, has relocated to stay with a relative whose home was spared from the storm’s destruction.
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Level 2 warning for more severe thunderstorms for Wednesday in the same municipality and several adjacent ones.
“Severe thunderstorms resulting in localised disruption to municipal and other essential services, as well as localised damage to property, are expected over Chris Hani, Joe Gqabi, Alfred Nzo, OR Tambo, and Amathole district municipalities,” it said.
READ | Families left homeless as violent storm rips roofs off homes in Eastern Cape
Other affected municipalities include Dr AB Xuma, Elundini, Emalahleni, Enoch Mgijima, Intsika Yethu, Inxuba Yethemba, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, Matatiele, Port St Johns, Sakhisizwe, Senqu, and Walter Sisulu.
Raymond Mhlaba falls under Amathole.
Weather forecast for today & tomorrow, 31 December 2025 - 01 January 2026.
Partly cloudy & warm to cool conditions are expected over the central & eastern parts of the country, with isolated to scattered showers & thundershowers possible from the afternoon. #saws pic.twitter.com/DxqqaLqnnz
Ntamo said it was painful spending Christmas at her relative’s house.
“She is my relative and has no issue with us staying with her, but I am used to staying in my house with my children. The municipality (Raymond Mhlaba) has taken a list of those homeless, and they are promising us temporary houses. We trust they will honour the promise, but we don’t know the delivery date,” said the mother of three.
Ntano lost valuable items during the hailstorm, including food.
“I am not working, so it has been difficult for us. We are grateful for the food parcels the municipality has given us,” she said.
Another resident, Zakhele Baso from Ngcabasa Village, said:
Our lives were negatively impacted by the hailstorm. While other people were enjoying Christmas, we were busy rebuilding parts of our home. There was no money budgeted for such an incident, so the rebuilding process will take some time.
According to the Amathole municipal spokesperson Sisa Msiwa, a total of 168 households were left homeless in Raymond Mhlaba.
Msiwa said an assessment was done on the affected households, with further assistance expected once the information had been verified and confirmed.
SAWS has advised residents in the affected areas to park their vehicles under a shelter, avoid travelling if possible, stay indoors, secure loose objects before thunderstorms start, and avoid seeking shelter under trees or tall objects.
