Over 100 families displaced as devastating hailstorm wreaks havoc in uMshwathi

A powerful hailstorm struck the uMshwathi Local Municipality in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands on Sunday, leaving a trail of damage and displacing more than 100 people.

The storm affected large parts of the municipality, and most of the displaced came from the informal settlement of Shiyabazali, an area built on a flood plain, according to the SABC.

The region had already been hit by heavy rains two weeks earlier, a weather event that resulted in one fatality and left two people missing. 

Local authorities say several households lost their homes. In particular, disaster management teams inspecting the aftermath warned residents not to rebuild structures close to riverbanks or in flood-prone zones.

“I saw that the river is overflowing,” said Umshwathi Local Municipality Disaster Management Spokesperson, Skhumbuzo Nxumalo, urging people to avoid sleeping near the banks and to heed the warnings.

The hailstorm comes amid a broader weather alert.

On Thursday, the South African Weather Service (SAWS) issued a Level 4 warning for parts of KwaZulu-Natal, including uMshwathi, as heavy thunderstorms, damaging winds, hail and excessive lightning are expected to pound the province.

Provincial disaster management teams under the KwaZulu‑Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (KZN Cogta) remain on high alert.

In response, relief efforts have been mobilised. Support organisations together with government agencies are providing emergency assistance and assessing short- and long-term housing solutions for the affected families.

Residents across the Midlands have been urged to monitor official weather updates, avoid rebuilding on flood-prone land, stay away from swollen rivers and bridges, and comply with instructions from disaster response teams.

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