It was a day of drama on Monday at the eBuhleni village in Inanda, north of Durban when a church building collapsed leading to two congregants being critically injured while a dozen others were rushed to a nearby clinic and hospital.
According to Gareth Jamieson of the ALS Rescue Emergency Services, the incident occurred at about 12 midday where the congregants had been constructing a concrete retaining wall when it collapsed and buried them.
“While it can’t be confirmed at this stage as to how many people were working on site, initial reports indicate that multiple people were trapped below rubble and sand. Eight people were rescued and rushed to hospital for medical attention. At the moment eThekwini metro fire and rescue services are using excavators and spades to search for other people who might still be trapped underneath the structure,” he explained.
Other congregants also joined in to assist in the digging up of fellow congregants who may still be buried under the heavy soil. The congregants are believed to have been attending a July pilgrimage, a sacred journey where the Shembe church congregants fast and pray.
The eThekwini metro police said the excavation to search for possible survivors is likely to go on all the way into the late hours of the evening.
“The Durban Metro Police Service Search and Rescue officers, working alongside the South African Police Service Search and Rescue, the eThekwini Fire Department and other emergency services, responded to eBuhleni Village in Inanda following reports of a wall collapse during foundation excavation work. Multiple injuries have been reported, with several patients transported to hospital. Search and rescue operations remain underway as emergency teams continue working to locate and safely extricate those who may still be trapped,” the eThekwini metro police said.
“The Durban Metro Police Service extends its thoughts and well wishes to all those affected by this incident. We wish the injured a full and speedy recovery and commend all emergency response for their ongoing efforts to bring the situation safely under control.”
Meanwhile, as the search and rescue teams continued in the late afternoon, concerned family members stood outside the site hoping and praying that their loved one would be found alive.
“We have not been allowed to access the site but we’re praying to our lord Shembe that those who are still trapped underground will be found alive. We don’t want to lose hope but as hours go by we are getting anxious,” lamented one family member who spoke to the Mail & Guardian.
Sithembiso Ngema, the DA KwaZulu-Natal leader expressed his shock, saying: “Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and the entire Shembe community during this difficult and traumatic time. We also commend the bravery and dedication of the emergency personnel and rescue teams who are working tirelessly under challenging conditions to save lives.”
He added that the Shembe community formed an integral part of the social and cultural fabric of KwaZulu-Natal. The pain and uncertainty currently being experienced at eBuhleni Village are shared by all of us as residents of KwaZulu-Natal.
Thokozani Mncwabe, the Shembe Church spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.