She was stuck in a snow-enveloped car for almost three days without food and water, and now Thandi Bhengu lives to tell her harrowing tale.
Bhengu was travelling alone from Johannesburg, where she works, en route to her home in Pietermaritzburg, when tragedy struck – she and scores of other motorists were trapped in the snow-lashed area near Montrose.
The KwaZulu-Natal’s office of the premier said that two people have died due to hypothermia – a deadly condition caused by a significant drop in body temperature.
Recounting her near-death ordeal, Bhengu said: “I couldn’t breathe properly. I was terribly cold, and I thought I was going to die. I did not think I would survive. I am glad that some other motorists risked their lives and started assisting others like me who were powerless.”
She was stuck from Friday evening and spent the entire Saturday with temperatures dropping to zero, with aid only coming in the early hours of Sunday.
Making matters worse her phone battery died and she was unable to charge it in her car after running out of petrol, as she tried to keep warm by running the car even though on idle.
She briefly spoke to the Cape Times’ sister paper, the “Daily News”, using the phone belonging to Mhlengi Dubazana, another victim who works for a national courier company.
Exhausted and shaken, Dubazana said: “I am just glad to be alive. I am weak, but I am glad I survived. I just want to go back home and relax because this is a life-changing experience. I don’t know how I pulled it off.”
Dubazana was among the motorists who braved the extreme freezing weather and tried to assist vulnerable victims, including elderly people and young children.
By midday on Sunday, some affected roads had been reopened. But, the government continued to caution motorists against using the roads until the mop-up operations were officially completed.
During a media briefing on Sunday afternoon, acting KZN Premier Thembeni kaMadlopha-Mthethwa said: “All relevant departments and emergency services have been instructed to prioritise clearing affected routes and assisting stranded road users.”
While thousands of motorists have been rescued, others were still trapped, said KaMadlopha-Mthethwa. As part of the provincial government's response, she said: “We have deployed officers from the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) to assist motorists navigating treacherous roads.
“The RTI and provincial Emergency Services were also deployed to assist motorists stranded on roads impacted by the snowfall.
“These teams are working tirelessly to ensure safe passage and provide assistance where necessary.
“Additionally, the SAPS and SANDF are on standby with helicopters to assist in delivering hot meals and evacuating individuals in severely impacted areas.”
She would not comment on the value of economic loss due to the storm, saying the government had yet to assess the full extent of the damage.
The KZN Department of Transport led by Siboniso Duma announced the reopening of several roads – including the N3 Toll Route at Van Reenen’s Pass, which links Gauteng and KZN.
Former Gagasi FM DJ Penny Ntuli and Vibe FM presenter were among the motorists stuck on the ice-covered roads for three days.
This included 67 school pupils from Qwabi Primary who were travelling from Durban to Qwaqwa, according to the Department of Transport in KZN.
Cape Times