Educare hit by a storm

Kukhanyile Educare Centre lost its roof during heavy rains

While welcome, the recent heavy downpours did not come without consequences, having affected many areas around the city, including Luzuko near Khayelitsha, where a creche was among a number of buildings whose roofs were blown off.

Kukhanyile Educare accommodates 85 children.

On Monday August 17, several homes were destroyed, trees were uprooted, informal structures were damaged and the electricity supply was interrupted.

Several roads in and around the city were also flooded.

The damage left the founder and owner of the educare devastated. Ntombedinga Gcelu worked hard to build her centre but now she’s left to dig deep into her pocket to rebuild it – but the fact is that there are no funds to do the job. “The roof is totally out. We have no roof and the upper classes are damaged. This is one incident we never anticipated and has caused us a lot of damage,” she said.

With schools and preschools reopening, Kukhanyile’s children will have to wait for the owner to make other arrangements. She said if the situation continues like this, she will have no choice but to use her house to house the 85 children. “I have tried to ask for assistance but the (Department of Social Development) only promised me blankets. But the damage is huge and we are not in need of blankets. I am in talks with the parents to see what we can do. But it looks like I will have to use my house,” she said.

Resident Noluthando Skeyi said the day was like a horror movie, with gale force winds battering the area. “I stood up with fear. I thought our home was going but thank goodness we were lucky. I do not want to see a day like that again for as long as I am alive,” she said.

Vukani contacted the Department of Social Development to find out whether any assistance had been offered to those affected by the storm, but by the time this story was published, they had not yet responded.

Anyone who would wish to assist the creche can contact Ntombedinga Gcelu on 078 172 1414