11 hours in a tree: Woman's harrowing survival story as Mthatha floods claim family members

Devastating floods ravaged the Eastern Cape's Mthatha region, killing at least 92 people and leaving multiple families grieving for lost loved ones, with several victims still missing.
Infrastructure damage is estimated at R4 billion, including 4 229 destroyed households, 413 damaged schools affecting over 48 341 pupils.
Survivors like Talita Qhinga, Asongezwa Ntlabathi and Phumeza Papana have shared heartbreaking stories of watching family members swept away by sudden floodwaters.
The Eastern Cape's day of mourning for the deadly Mthatha floods offered a step toward closure for some grieving families, while others remained uncertain as their loved ones are still missing and presumed dead.
The provincial government held a solemn day of mourning for victims of the devastating floods that ravaged the Mthatha region, with at least 92 people dead.
One of the survivors is a young woman, Talita Qhinga, 22, from Slovo Park near Mthatha.
Speaking to News24, Qhinga broke down several times while trying to narrate a story of how she tried in vain to save her family members, four of whom were swept away by a raging current.
The current swept Qhinga all the way from Slovo Park to near Highbury Primary School, about 4km from her homestead.
She was stranded in a tree in the Mthatha River for close to 11 hours, hungry and cold.
The bodies of her mother Nomthandazo, 50, her cousin Nonkoliseko, 40, and niece Esethu, 14, were recovered. Her nephew Lukhanyo, 7, is still missing.
'I was helpless when the incident happened and could not save them. That's the most painful thing for me. The incident happened around 05:00 last Tuesday. It was still dark as it is winter. I took out my phone and switched on its light. The water was raging. Suddenly our bed was floating in water. My niece went to the bedroom of her parents to wake them up,' Qhinga said.
In just a few moments, they were overwhelmed by the water.
'I went to save our mother who was struggling. It was in that process that the water swept us away. They all drowned and disappeared in front of me. I stayed on top of the tree, in the cold and in fear, until I was rescued by divers around 16:00 (about 11 hours from the time of the incident),' Qhinga said.
She was eventually saved by police divers and taken to hospital for medical observation.
Qhinga said Esethu had dreams of going to medical school after high school.
'This is very sad for me. The only closure for me would be the discovery of my nephew (Lukhanyo).'
Asongezwa Ntlabathi, 25, from hard-hit Decoligny village, lost five family members – her mother, grandmother and two nephews aged 6 and 8. Her 11-year-old nephew is still missing.
Ntlabathi said:
We really don't know how we are going to bury them yet, there is one still missing. I don't know how many times I have been in the state mortuary to look for my nephew. In the morning, I am in the morgue and in the afternoon, still the same thing, on a daily basis.
Phumeza Papana, from Slovo Park, lost her last-born daughter Neliswa aged 23.
'I was part of the search that discovered her body. I screamed when her lifeless body was later discovered. What was so painful for me is the fact that my daughter died crying for help to be saved.'
Finance MEC Mlungisi Mvoko, who was the acting premier as Oscar Mabuyane did not attend the mourning service, said the deadly deluge affected thousands of people, mostly in Mthatha.
'The number of destroyed households is 4 229 with 1 963 households with partial roof damage. The number of schools damaged is 413, with 1 471 classrooms damaged. The number of affected learners in those schools totals 48 341. We have not listed damaged roads, bridges, hospitals and water infrastructure but for now we estimate the damage at R4 billion,' said Mvoko.
He said land would be made available for communities whose houses were built close to river banks but who now wanted to be moved.

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