Klaserie Chronicle 20pt2 04-2012

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20 |17

s d o o l f

TROPICAL CYCLONE

DANDO

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oedspruit’s very own air force officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Chris Hattingh, is a hero, typical of this area where people care about the bush and its inhabitants. He might not get the honoris crux for his effort but to wade into the Mohlabetsi River to save a baby bushbuck takes some doing. He said: ‘It was instinctive. You hear an infant crying and you look for it’. He named it ‘Betsie’ after the river. It has now been released in the care of another reserve. Nothing is too insignificant to save.

Photo: Noel Kloppers

18 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

James and Corlia Steyn

A

t 04:00 in the morning on 18 January 2012, we were sitting on the Rossouw airstrip a few kilometres from Senalala in our bakkie. We had just fled from our house, when the river in front of the lodge burst its banks and flooded our home.

An hour before, we woke up to a gurgling noise inside our bedroom.

When we switched on the bedside lamps we came to the shocking discovery that our shoes, from our cupboards, were already floating around our bed.

We ran through the house not immediately realising the extent of the danger that we were in, but when we saw the water level outside our house, we knew that we needed to get away as quickly as possible.

It felt as if we were dreaming a horrible dream, and that at any moment we would wake up from that nightmare with a feeling of relief, only to realise very soon that it was as real as you could get.

Suddenly we had to flee from a river, once a dry riverbed that came down, on average, only once a year. There was no time to decide what in our home or in our life was more important than the other.

The river came rushing through our home too fast, and the water level rose so quickly inside that we had no other choice but to leave everything. We always thought that we would grab certain things in a crisis, but we realised pretty soon that when your life was at stake, and you had no time to decide between this or that, you ended up rather grabbing the people that you love and making a run for it.

We waited on the Rossouw airstrip until about 13:30 until we got airlifted to HQ by Mike Pingo, accompanied by Colin Rowles.

When we heard the sound of helicopter blades in the distance, we were overcome by such a feeling of relief.

We knew in our hearts that Senalala and the home that we used to love were badly damaged, but nothing could have prepared us for the view from the helicopter.

As far as the eye could see there was water everywhere, and it was hard to take it all in.

As we flew to HQ we asked Colin how matters stood at Senalala, and he responded “What Senalala?� That was when it hit home that the water had taken the lodge and our home, and that we had lost everything we owned and loved in a matter of minutes.

It has been two months now since the floods and we are still in shock about what happened.

To see your personal belongings scattered along the river or hanging from trees, and to know that you would never be able to look at photos of special birthdays or holidays was such a sad feeling!

However, in all this chaos we realised that we were very fortunate.

We had so many family and friends and even friends of friends who supported us so much during this difficult time.

They have opened their homes and hearts to us, and we realise each day how lucky we are to have such wonderful people in our lives.

We would like to say a big thank you to Colin who arranged for us to be airlifted to HQ; and to Janice Rowles and Zani Kunz for the towels, jackets and food that they gave us at HQ (bearing in mind that they also lost a lot from their homes in the flood), and also to the Flood Support Unit and the Hoedspruit community for supporting us and sending so many things our way.

Most importantly, we would like to thank our Lord for keeping us safe that morning and being our Rock during this time.

We now look forward to a new Senalala, a new home and a chance to make new memories that we can cherish forever.

Senalala Game Lodge or Janka Strauss @ 079 807 3479

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20 |19

Colin Rowles

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n 18 January 2012, at 03h00, I received an SMS from Bruce McDonald; it read “Emergency, flooding, contact AFB”.

It had been raining hard all night, and as I wiped the sleep from my eyes and peered through the curtains at the first light of dawn, I was horrified at what I saw. The Klaserie River had risen well above the 2000 flood level and threatened to flood the garden.

Janice and I woke the kids and scrambled around frantically packing a few belongings in anticipation of having to leave the house. We both made a few phone calls in an effort to wake and alert the other HQ residents of the impending danger. We closed all the doors and windows, collected the pets, switched off the power, left the house and moved to the office complex on higher ground.

An hour later our house and precious belongings were under water. I cannot describe the feeling as I stood in the driveway of our garden, and watched the raging river swirl through the garden taking with it garden furniture and all else that was not a fixture.

Huge tree trunks and massive clumps of reeds went past in a thundering mass of chocolate brown water.

With my family and HQ residents all safe at the office complex, I attended to the earlier SMS from Bruce; a call to the air force Ops room was of little relief, as I was advised that the poor weather conditions were too dangerous for their aircraft to fly in.

My next call was to a good friend of mine and highly experienced pilot, Mike Pingo. A little more than an hour later, and after receiving numerous SMS messages from Mike advising of his progress, I heard the high-pitched turbine whine and rotor slap of an approaching low-flying helicopter.

Through the pouring rain I recognised the red and white Bell 206 as it banked

and dropped onto the helipad.

With a rescue strap over my shoulder and ground-to-air radio in my hand, I ran to meet Mike. In a sodden state I climbed into the front seat next to him.

We flew to the east and to the N’tsiri River drainage system, from where I had received Bruce’s distress message.

I could not believe my eyes; the N’tsiri River which is a non perennial, lazy, meandering stream was three to four hundred metres wide in places. The actual river line itself was indiscernible. The expanse of water was rushing through the generally flat landscape, cutting corners drowning and uprooting everything in its path.

The camps along the river were nothing but pinnacles of thatch protruding from the brown water.

In addition to Bruce’s SMS, I received a call from a landowner alerting me to the plight of his camp staff who had taken refuge from the rising water by climbing up onto the first floor of the two storey building. As the water continued to rise, the staff climbed into the roof rafters inside the building, and from there they had dug a hole through the thatch and climbed out onto the roof.

With the water still rising, they then climbed into a large Natal-mahogany tree next to the building. We circled the tree and building many times, but could not see or locate the staff. Fearing for the worst, we scouted the riverbanks for the missing persons, and searched the area downstream, with no success.

We left to search for Bruce.

We located Bruce and his desperate family. After circling a few times, Mike found a piece of stable sandbank safe enough on which we could land. I ran, fell and waded through channels of flowing water, and through what was previously a beautiful camp, which had then been totally destroyed by the flood waters, and collected Kerri-Anne and Kieran. Theresa helped her mom to the waiting helicopter. Mike and I made a

few trips to and from the camp, moving all the staff to the safety of a nearby camp. Finally we returned to collect Bruce and Theresa and all their family pets, and ferried them to the reserve head quarters.

In response to a call from James and Corlia, we located them stranded on an airstrip, and flew them back to the safety of the HQ. I was very relieved later in the day when I heard that the camp staff that had climbed through the thatched roof and into a tree was safe. They had seen us earlier from the tree as we flew around them, but were too terrified to release their grip and wave to attract our attention, for fear of falling. They remained in the tree until the flood waters had subsided sufficiently for them to climb down.

Many of the people that were trapped by the rising flood waters, and who were flown to safety have extended their appreciation to Mike, for selflessly and without hesitation coming out and assisting during their time of need.

With this, my gratitude goes to Mike Pingo and Sunrise Aviation.

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

‘EMERGENCY: FLOODING!’

20 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20

The night Tulela was destroyed Bruce and Theresa McDonald

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

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his is an actual account and sequence of events as they unfolded on the fateful night that Tulela was destroyed as told by Bruce and Theresa McDonald.

The N’tsiri, normally a quiet and peaceful dry river bed for most of the year became a raging monster on the night of 18 January, engulfing almost everything in its path.

We remember waking up somewhere around 3 am to the sound of our drains and showers gurgling as the N’tsiri River burst its banks. We knew exactly what was happening as we had lived through a flood in previous years whilst stationed at another lodge upstream from Tulela.

We were absolutely shocked as we drew open our bedroom curtains.

Water was lapping at least a foot against the glass sliding door and our veranda had become part of the river.

There was very little time to think of personal possessions at a time like that. The priority was getting the family to a place of safety. We ran through the house, already kneedeep in water waking the children and Theresa’s mum, Carmel, gathering the pets on the way. There was no way that we could drive out of Tulela as by that time the normal access road had also become part of the river and was rising rapidly. What made things worse was that it was still pitch dark outside!

Leaving our house and moving to the laundry was rather daunting as the strength and power of the current was already so strong, and we had to grab at things to hold onto as we moved. By that stage the staff had woken up and had all gathered in the workshop area next to the laundry. The laundry and workshop

The Jackalberry tree in which the McDonald family found shelter from the rising water. area had then been separated by the rising river and it was getting difficult to communicate with the staff in the pouring wind and rain.

We moved into the laundry area and monitored the rising flood waters. The water was almost a metre deep in the laundry area then and still rising. We knew that we were in serious trouble and had to make a life-saving decision.

Bruce climbed out of the laundry window and waded through chestheight water looking for a suitable tree to climb as a place of safety.

JACKALBERRY TREE Fortunately the laundry building ebbed the flow slightly away and gave us the opportunity to move through the water. Even so, the strength of the current was incredible. Bruce managed to find a solid old Jackalberry tree which seemed climbable, and returned to fetch

Helicopter pilot Mike Pinto and KPNR warden Colin Rowles.

the family. Bruce took Kieran and Kerri-Anne one by one on his shoulders and helped them into the tree. They scrambled high up until they were both safe in the high branches. We then came back to fetch Carmel, Theresa’s mum and helped her into the tree, Theresa pulling from above as she stood on Bruce’s shoulders until we could get her to a place of safety on a high enough branch in the tree.

And then Bubbles, our little JackRussell got lifted into the tree, sitting on Kieran’s lap.

We managed to alert the lodge staff to get as high as possible in the surrounding buildings and trees. The two housekeeping ladies were physically not in a condition to climb trees and managed to seek refuge on the top of a game viewing vehicle in the workshop.

The water level rose to just under the tarpaulin at the top of the vehicle.

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20 |21

Those two ladies were extremely lucky to survive.

During this ordeal we managed to get our two loving cats into a tree nearby, knowing that they would instinctively climb to safety on their own. They were clearly not humoured by this at all and looked really miserable and bedraggled.

An angry, wet cat is not a pretty sight at all!

We could not get Sammy, our old Jack - Russell into the tree and left her in the laundry area, sadly, thinking that she would never survive. It was so awful listening to her howling desperately, but there was nothing more that we could do as we had to think of ourselves. Miraculously she managed to climb to the safety of the top laundry shelf which was at ceiling level and that saved her. We could not believe it when she started barking as the water level started dropping afterwards. We had managed to put the children’s guinea pigs and hamster into a cooler box.

They floated around the laundry, and they also survived!

During the early hours of the morning Bruce managed to send an SMS to Colin Rowles, the Klaserie warden, asking for help and to alert the SAAF for a possible helicopter evacuation. That was the last communication that we would have as both of our cell phones were by then soaked and unserviceable.

It was an absolute miracle that the sms went through as we normally had very poor cell coverage in that area.

Sitting in the tree was a life changing experience. We watched as the raging torrent of a river destroyed trees and buildings around us. We prayed that the laundry building would hold as it was protecting us from the strong current that was then at its physical peak. Thatched roofs and large blocks of concrete and cement came rushing past us. We watched in horror as the owners’ brand-new house collapsed and was partly washed away. We were in the middle of a large, raging river as two river systems engulfed the lodge and our house. Vehicles were being uplifted and dumped a distance away.

It was really sad watching our personal life-long possessions being washed down the river in front of our very eyes.

SENSE OF HUMOUR The kids managed to keep a sense of humour through this and laughed at times when they recognised some of their toys getting washed down the river and were sometimes in hysterics when other people’s items, clearly from lodges and camps further upstream got washed down past us. We gave up counting the number of fridges and freezers that came down the river from other camps!

One of the most depressing and disheartening things about sitting in that tree was watching the kids shivering in the cold, torrential downpour of rain.

The wind was blowing and the rain bucketing down. It was really miserable and cold. We were being bitten alive by huge black ants which were obviously also trying to get to safety. Kerri-Anne was holding her tiny body as close as possible to Theresa to keep as warm as she possibly could.

We got extremely concerned when the water level continued rising whilst sitting in the tree, but the tree we had chosen seemed to be solid enough and holding. We could still go higher if we needed to. We eventually breathed a sigh of relief when the water level stopped rising and started levelling off at last (we had marked a spot on the tree to gauge the level) ...and then even started dropping! The sudden surge of water was due to a number of huge dams bursting their banks upstream which fed into the N’tsiri River system.

Once the water level dropped we managed to disembark from the tree and move everybody back to the laundry out of the pouring rain. The water level was still at window sill height, but we managed to find space on the ironing slabs in the laundry and escape the pelting, cold rain outside.

Bruce’s feet were riddled with huge thorns as a result of carrying the family through the water barefoot.

We are not sure how long we stayed in the tree as our watches and phones had been soaked...it was a good few hours. continue on page 22

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

“The kids managed to keep a sense of humour through this and laughed at times when they recognised some of their toys getting washed down the river”

22 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20

The night Tulela was destroyed continued from page 21

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

It felt like hours sitting in the laundry afterwards not knowing what was happening, not knowing if anyone had heard our plea for help. At times like these, a lot goes through one’s mind.

Colin received my SMS in the early hours of the morning and immediately contacted the SAAF operations control centre.

The air force replied that they were not prepared to fly in the increment weather conditions. Colin then contacted helicopter pilot, Mike Pingo, based in Nelspruit. Mike who is also a family friend of ours got airborne in really bad weather and set course for the Klaserie.

He had to divert course a number of times due to bad weather and eventually managed to get as far as Chimanimani, the Timbavati headquarters where he had to land again due to extremely bad weather.

A short break in the weather gave

Mike the opportunity to fly to the Klaserie Headquarters to pick-up Colin.

We were not the only ones in distress in that area at the time.

The camp next-door to Tulela further downstream belonging to Dia Naidoo had also been seriously affected by the floods. I must add that while this was all happening, Colin and Janice’s house on the banks of the Klaserie River had also been flooded Colin went way above the call of duty to attend to other members of the Klaserie in an emergency situation. We cannot thank him enough for this.

We cannot express what a sense of relief it was when we heard the sound of a helicopter approaching.

It literally seemed like an angel descending from the sky to help us.

We jumped out of the laundry window and saw the familiar sight of Mike’s red and black Jet Ranger appear through

the clouds.

Incredibly Mike managed to find a place to land nearby. Carmel and the two children, Kieran and Kerri-Anne were airlifted to the safety of the KPNR HQ. Mike returned and airlifted the Tulela staff to a place of safety at the Hilltops Camp. He then came back and airlifted us (Bruce and Theresa), and the pets to the Headquarters complex (I’m not sure Mike could believe it when we boarded the helicopter with two dogs, guinea pigs and a hamster)!

Arriving at the Klaserie headquarters we were treated like royalty. We arrived cold and soaked to the bone. We were given warm clothes and a hearty meal.

The Klaserie staff went out of their way to assist us ignoring their own hardships at the time.

The Klaserie staff houses had all been severely flooded during this time.

We really appreciate all the effort that everyone had gone to, to assist us.

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20 |23

Lynette Strauss

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n the night of January 17, Tropical Cyclone Dando was feeding the Klaserie River into an angry beast gorging far beyond its banks and spewing mangled metal, wood, plastic and plaster onto broken bushes, and flattening grass.

ZENTA’S STORY Anton and Zenta Nel woke up at 05h30, as they did most mornings. It had rained all night and the Klaserie River was “ a spectacular sight”.

Zenta was still snapping a few shots from her phone to send her sister when the phone buzzed in her hand. It was Eric Manyike, admin assistant at HQ, asking if they needed help. She was puzzled why he would ask that; not connecting the call to the rising river.

A few minutes later, Janice Rowles called and advised her to pack a suitcase, ‘in case they needed to evacuate.’

“I was looking at the river, and still thought, it would not reach the house,” said Zenta.

The Nels went about their morning business with a little more urgency. “I was calm, almost relaxed. We made sure the cats were safe first.”

Once the cats were in the car, the Nels were between the cars and the

house, but by the second time going inside, “the freezer was swimming next to me,” said Zenta. She switched the electricity off and got out.

She tried to get Anton’s attention, but he was “scuba-diving under the Land Cruiser fiddling with the diff lock”. He eventually got the car going and to higher ground.

Anton went back to the house to get the suitcase, but the river had claimed it. Panic crept up on her. The water had reached armpit height and she could not see Anton.

“The waster was so aggressive and hysterics got the better of me.”

She started screaming, “just as in the movies, I saw him briefly, but then he disappeared again.”

That set off another high-pitched yell, which was gratefully stopped by a slow, calm, typical re-assurance, “I can hear you.”

It was 06h15, when the Nels left for Klaserie HQ, about 200m up the road from their house.

KATE’S STORY Colin Rowles woke Kate at 05h30 when he phoned. “Look at the river, Kate. Pack a bag, in case you need to evacuate.”

It was not quite light outside yet, and the water was high, but had not breached the garden wall. Barry Visser,

Kate’s field assistant also stayed in the house and Kate woke him with the worst possible words “don’t panic, but…”

“Barry was up like a shot, packed, and ready to help where he could.”

Kate then went next door to wake Zani Kunz.

“When I went there I could still see the garden, but running back, the water was up to the house and I knew there was no ‘maybe, we had to evacuate.’

Back in the room it was probably a millisecond deciding what to pack.

Data was the first thing that came to mind.”

Her hard drives, camera, binoculars, bird book, a drawing case (“probably because of the sentimentality attached to it”) and a few jerseys found their way into a small suitcase. She put on a pair of waterproof pants (which did not make the grade, by the way) and plakkies and started ‘gooi-ing’ stuff high, hoping the water may not reach there. Luckily these things put up high were above the water mark in the end and so were saved. She only had time to shift a few things to the car and trying to ‘organise’ the bigger stuff that stayed behind before danger bells made her stop and leave.

“I was surprised at how calm I was, and how reckless I was at going back, even when the water was so high continue on page 24

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

“Don’t panic, but...”

24 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20

“Don’t panic, but...” continued from page 23 inside the house. The water sloshed against the walls inside and was so noisy as it amplified in the house.”

And it wasn’t friendly, with debris you could see coming down, but also lurking underneath.

Kate remembers wading over a collapsed table as she threw the project bakkie’s keys to Zani, and thinking just before flicking the electricity switch off and leaving, “This is it. The rest I can’t save” Barry’s car, the project bakkie and Kate’s car made it to HQ. Soaked to the bone, Kate, Barry and Zani met up with the other Klaserie staff.

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

ZANI’S STORY The previous day, Zani had a premonition. At first she denied it by blaming the cups of coffee she had which, as a rule, she never drank, then on a meeting that could have gone better, then on a job offer. “I was petrified.” That night she could sleep. Eventually she had some success around 03h00. This was after she had dragged a cupboard in front of the door for extra protection against possible intruders during the night, her worst fear at that stage.

It wasn’t intruders that kept her from deep sleep bliss, but Kate’s insistent banging on her door. With the cupboard aside, and Kate inside, she soon found out why with Kate’s succinct, “Zani, look at the river.”

Her hands flew to her mouth, “Aaaaahhhhhh!”

“First I took a photo of the river, and then I thought – OK, what do people do in situations like these – tekkies, find your tekkies.” She put them on, and then the “silliest clothes I will never wear again.”

Next was to phone her mom with

a “You will never believe what’s happening here” to which her mom promptly replied with “Save the piano!”

The water was rising rapidly and with reality in check Zani grabbed the laptop, television, cellphone, and a bag of bangles. On her last trip home, Zani’s mom gave her a double-bed sized quilt which she had made. This was draped over the couch. “Fortunately I grabbed that.

The couch is still missing. Then I put the sewing machines on the bed and luckily, that stayed dry.”

“Just before leaving, I closed and locked the windows and doors, thinking that will keep the water out. I could not believe how high the water could rise in such a short time.”

AT HQ The Nels, Zani, Kate, Barry and rest of the Klaserie staff got together at HQ in dribs and drabs.

While at HQ, they realised Eric was not there. He refused to leave his home. Barry, Anton and the others set off to help, which put Zenta into “Anton-protection” mode again, doing what she does best – focusing on Anton and his well-being, the fear of pneumonia always lurking.

“At some stage I thought I had to put up a sign on my t-shirt saying: Danger: menopausal flood victim,” says Zenta.

As the day progressed, everybody flew in that had been rescued from all over the Reserve – the McDonalds, James and Corlia Steyn. 22 people had gathered at HQ. It was about 12h00 and people had been snacking on biscuits and coffee from the shop, or chance food like

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Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20 | 25

wine. With Zani’s help they made a hot lunch. She also set the table outside the library and 22 survivors shared a meal, a few glasses of wine, stories, hugs, a few tears, and plenty of jokes.

“Zani did so good setting the table,” says Kate, “it felt almost like boarding school, dishing up, and sharing.”

“It was one of the best things that happened, sharing our experiences, laughing, and caring for each other the way we did,” said Zenta.

Afterwards, some of the group left for Camphers’ Camp and others began looking for a place to sleep as darkness set in.

“Not one person slept on the ground,” said Zani. “I don’t know how, but we all found a bed, or stretcher, or blow-up mattress.”

The following day, the big clean-up started.

Then the choppers came and evacuated those who needed medical attention.

“It was only then that we realised the extent of the floods,” said Kate.

“Speaking to the pilots and seeing postings on facebook, made us realise this was bigger than us.”

LESSONS LEARNED “From the first moment we got together we faced the aftermath together,” says Zenta. Few people dealt with this on their own. “There was always a prepared meal, or sharing or giving somewhere,” agrees Kate. “And there were surprises, like my cycling helmet and cycling shoes closed up in a little bag that showed up bone dry. Or Zani’s who ‘lost’ her piano, but found her hand lotion in Zenta’s house.”

“And Stevie saw a shark,” says Zani.

People continued to be kind says Zenta. People gave from their heart, and gave such precious gifts that they knew would have special meaning. Jacobs Kronin Coffee did that. “Small things that stay with you always.”

Zani found it difficult to accept anything, even though she lost so much.

She would rather get involved with giving and distributing to survivors, which she did by helping the Lions and Hoedspruit Victim Support Unit.

As Zenta watched her belongings, some of them generations old, disappear in the raging water, and stood there knowing that soon she would be losing Anton as well, she realised, “Stuff and people don’t identify you, I still have myself. If you know who you are, you have a lot.”

“God has given me so much, He has

taught me I am valuable. I have also seen that all people are inherently good and I am grateful and overwhelmed to see how much people really care.”

Now I have survived the flood, now what? Why? What does it mean? It just made me think so much and also opened my eyes to how people reacted during the floods and afterwards.”

After the floods were over, Kate learnt to be more emotionally open and to realize that sometimes it’s OK to ask for help in times like these. She was also amazed at how everyone here at HQ pulled together to help, and how much help came streaming in from outside. After sorting through the wrecked stuff, and cleaning the house, she could not wait for the roads to open so she could visit her boyfriend in Bela Bela. “When I reached Cassie’s place on Mabula I cried for almost a whole day.” He sat beside her hearing all the stories, and made her umpteen cups of tea – just what she needed.

It also added another notch on her growth path. “Each year there is some big lesson to be learned. In the past these experiences consisted of things like learning to deal with different cultures and to cope in a big city like London, then to become a ‘plaasmeisie at Mabula’ and now, to deal with a crisis.”

As we all did.

“It was one of the best things that happened, sharing our experiences, laughing, and caring for each other the way we did,”

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

the Pronutro and milk Kate had saved.

After a whole day without food people were getting a little peckish now that everyone was together and safe, and that’s when “the boeremeisie kicked in” and Zani came to the rescue.

The water had receded so Zani, Kate and Barry raided kitchens and found rice, mince, tinned food and lots of

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Hoedspruit Victim Support Unit lends a hand during Hoedspruit floods Debbie Thomson

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2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

he Hoedspruit Victim Support Unit (VSU) has been in operation for just over two years and during this time has worked closely with the Police, Africa Safe-T and Hoedspruit Farm Watch to deal with many and varied situations.

However, during the devastating floods on 18 January the unit offered extensive support and assistance to the Hoedspruit community.

From 05:30 that morning, all six VSU volunteers were on standby for any emergency.

They offered support to the emergency control centre, receiving and coordinating all the many phone calls for air support and assistance, offered support at the military hospital, joined Farm Watch in manning and controlling all the roads and river crossings to minimize potential accidents or loss of life.

Immediately following the floods, the VSU, together with the Ward Councillor, Africa Safe-T and the Hoedspruit Farm Watch initiated

ED: Families at KPNR HQ, Myers, Naidoo and Freeman camps received parcels from the Hoedspruit VSU

support and communication during the recovery phase. This included setting up donation and delivery points.

After initial reports that any official assistance would only be given to the outer lying areas and farming communities, the VSU and the Hoedspruit air force base joined up and opened a Relief Centre that would support and assist all members of the affected region, regardless of the extent of damage, provincial or municipal boundaries.

The Humanitarian Relief Centre functioned from the Drakensig Community Hall. The VSU also established the opportunity for volunteers from the Hoedspruit community to come and assist at the HRC to contribute and be of assistance.

For a fortnight, the entire community of Hoedspruit worked hand in hand to offer as much support and assistance as was possible to those in need.

Over 50 000 litres of bottled water were received and distributed, just under 300 parcels of food, clothing, toiletries, linen and other basic necessities were packaged and distributed to the identified families, and extensive emotional support and counselling were offered.

Although the main functioning centre closed down at the start of February, the VSU has continued to work with the Dutch Reformed Church in Hoedspruit to provide much needed supplies and resources to those still in need.

The VSU would like to thank: Col Barends and the Hoedspruit air force base; Hoedspruit Farm Watch; Pieter Papsdorf from Africa Safe-T; Dutch Reformed Church; Pick n Pay and Spar that acted as collection points, and all those who volunteered at the centre, for support and contributions during this very difficult and testing time for all.

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20 |27

Left: The mystery shower

The shower everyone else used

Anton Nel

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he evening was hot and still heavy with humidity after the rain. The dark-haired girl was walking along the footpath from the offices towards the abattoir. Her shapely curves were accentuated through her thin clothes against a typical bush sunset with orange and yellow tinted clouds lighting up the western horizon.

She was looking forward to a proper shower. Her friends talked excitedly about the luxury of a shower, although with cold water, after working in their mud-coated houses all day.

They all decided it was a good thing that the abattoir regulations required such stringent hygienic protocol – it now offered them the opportunity to shower!

The girl went through the gates at the

abattoir, turned right and around the corner and opened the door, as directed by her one friend. Well, perhaps not a conventional bathroom shower, but it looked promising, she decided. She tested the equipment. A rubber hose ran from a wall-fitted tap to a rather big brush with three holes in it. She opened the tap, yes; the water flowed without a problem.

But there was no mounting for the shower nozzle to fit into. In the middle of the floor was an iron grid through which the waste water flowed. Strange shower…

She closed the tap and stripped.

Opening the tap again it was invigorating to splash herself with the cold water. Now for the shampoo and soap. Damn! She needed two hands to shampoo her hair and to soap her body!

What to do with the shower nozzle?

Eventually she dropped it on the floor

and did the soap thing. Then picked up the shower nozzle again and started to wash the shampoo and soap off. It was tricky…the three streams of water from the brush were not really spreading the water.

She closed the tap. Only then did she see the curtain-less and clear glass window! What Peeping Toms might have had an eyeful? Brrrr…

Back at the office building she kept quiet about her experience of the shower.

Everyone was so positive about it.

Who was she to complain about it?

It was only a few weeks later that she heard the real shower was only one door further – a proper bathroom shower, with a cubicle, towel rails and everything! Only then did she realize she showered in the cleaning room, where the rubber aprons, boots and gloves were cleaned after a slaughter…

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

The girl in the mystery shower

28 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20

I lost my sense of time Eric Manyike

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

I

would like to thank God for always protecting us, as He saved us during the unexpected floods that secretly got into our houses without warning .

It was a lovely night as usual when I went to bed the night before 18 January 2012 when I heard a loud knocking and slamming against my doors. I woke up and saw the little red ocean in front of my house and quickly phoned my neighbours to check if they were aware of the flood. After speaking to my neighbours, I found myself surrounded by water. I tried to be brave as I spent a few minutes packing some clothes and a few pieces of furniture on top of the big and high table that I have.

By that time the water was over my knees inside the house.

While I was packing Mr Nel and Barry came to encourage and assist me to move out of the house quickly before I got into trouble. They helped me to jump through the window with my little bag of uniforms inside.

There was no time to remove food and books and any other stuff from the house.

After the water had resided to the edge of the lawn, I went to the house and found that my fridge was floating inside the house and the toiletries were lying in the kitchen. It was not easy to walk in the house because of the mud, and there was a bad smell in the house like elephant dung .

There was no shower for bathing but my boss, Mr Rowles, made a plan to get us a bathing

place so that we could feel human again. I appreciate his sympathy for this because it is a higher life.

It took me two days to clean all the mud from the house, but the smell never stopped.

After the rain had stopped and the water from the river resided a little bit from the unusual level of the river banks, the physical structure of the river lookedvery changed. That affected me as it was as if I were viewing a new world.

I lost my sense of time, my future plans, my ability and my vigour to perform usual duties, and made me believe that the world structure had really changed. At the time there were no monkeys, nor francolins that used to come and play or look for food near my dwelling. The only thing that could be heard was just the noise from the water in the river.

Food was a big problem for me as I had nothing left in the fridge, but God sent His good angel, Zani, to come and give me lots of food and a few blankets, pillows and plates.

Without the help from Zani I would have spent lots of money to buy food. I thank our omnipotent God for the compassion and sympathy that He put in the mind and heart of Zani to work with people.

My last words of encouragement to the Klaserie residents who have been affected by the flood is, let us hope and keep trusting in God that one day He will replace what we have lost twice as much as long as we carry on at a renewed slower pace. Thank you

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20 | 29

Lee-Anne Detert

O

n 18 January, 2012 after an amazing holiday we were waiting at Durban Airport for our flight back to Johannesburg at the end of our leave. Then there was a missed call and message on our cell from our assistant manager, Esti − and so many things have just changed forever!

Esti’s frantic message was telling us that Kitara was flooded; the river was at the Nyeleti fence line, but all the guests were fine and being evacuated up to Nzumba Lodge. Still at that point it felt surreal. As the hours unfolded so did the unbelievable level of destruction.

As the hours passed, we were updated

by Fred and Manuela who were at the lodge with a group of friends and Pieter and Esti. Everyone was trying to deal with the chaos surrounding them.

The day before, we were watching Esti’s updates of the non-stop heavy rain that was not letting up. That was a relief as we were in desperate need of rain.

However, 24 hours later, many burst dams and opened sluice gates later, it really seemed as if all hell

had broken loose in the reserve and surrounding areas.

From 500km away we felt totally useless and desperate to be at the lodge, although for all the guests, Fred and Manuela, Pieter and Esti going through the disaster, it was the last place they wanted to be. Only being in that situation can people truly describe what was going through their hearts and minds, as they watched helplessly.

We believe that each staff member, guest and owner will relive those moments for a long time to come. From so far away we had no idea if we would be losing our home and everything in it to the floods as well – thankfully Fred managed to get through to Nyeleti and into our house to inform us that everything was fine.

Eventually we were able to return to the farm a week later as access through the Olifants became an option. Neither Don nor I will forget those moments of just seeing vast stretches of river and destruction as far as we could see as we drove toward Kitara, and standing on the remains of the Kitara deck and absorbing the level of loss that this amazing camp was destroyed.

It took us a while to accept the new-look river in front of Kitara and Nyeleti, as initially it looked like an ugly scar. Just over a month later when I wrote this, seeing Kitara all mangled, still did not settle well. But at Nyeleti where there was no damage, the river bed presented its own beauty and advantages.

It took about three weeks for the game to start returning to the area and to noticeably feel relaxed again. We are still seeing elephant coming down to the river for the first time since the flood and you can almost see them thinking, “What the heck?”

The influx of support and sympathy from so many guests and friends who hold special memories of Kitara poured in, and we thank everyone for their love and support. A large part of Kitara was unscathed, so we look forward to the fixing and repairing and rebuilding of the new Kitara!

Our thoughts go out especially to the Tulela and Senalala owners, management and staff who lost everything, and also to the management and staff at HQ who were massively affected by the floods.

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

Klaserie Camps

30 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20

Floods@JosMacs Sally Wiggil

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

T

hings changed overnight for our family as a result of the floods.

Our roads were like rivers and our little bridge, which normally spans a ten metre dry river bed, was covered in a mass of water at least 300 metres wide. Our house was flooded to ankle depth, and that was mild compared to what we were still to discover. Our pump house was completely destroyed as the Klaserie River was a raging torrent.

A little further down the Klaserie access road, our quarry had joined the river to form a mass of water as far as the eye could see. Our bush camp was a disaster zone! Two of our permanent tents were washed away, our newly renovated cottage, which had burnt down two years before, was cut in half and the furniture that was not down the river, was hanging out into the water. The boma, aloes, and bridge had all washed away. The second cottage was cracked and filled with water and mud. All furniture and bedding were wrecked too. The usually dry river bed was a mass of angry, foamy water – taking with it what it could.

Everything at JosMacs was completely and quickly covered by water to above the door frames. We lost all our laptops, tills, computers, bedding, a lot of the furniture, most of the electrical equipment (fridges, freezers, TVs, lawnmower, heaters and other kitchen appliances) to either the river or water damage.

Our staff lost most of their personal belongings. Luzane’s car was wedged over a pole and completely submerged.

The next day, we recovered some of our tables as well as our ice cream fridge down the river; some in trees.

Our new borehole pump had to be replaced once again.

On Thursday morning, the water had subsided and we managed to take

stock of our losses. All our fences were flattened, in many places roads were impassable, and we got stuck many times. Our neighbour had recorded 505mm in the 24 hours of rain!

The river house, in which we stored the stock from the shop we had closed, was also completely flooded.

Everything was covered in thick mud and most of the stock beyond use. We had stored this stock to use in a little shop we were planning to open as well as for ongoing repairs on the farm which we manage.

Apart from the damage already mentioned at JosMacs, doors and windows were shattered and everything was covered in a thick layer of smelly mud. Debris and litter were strewn everywhere and the two swimming pools were filled with sludge, branches and reeds.

The mess and devastation are hard to put into words.

We lost about 1.5 million in stock in our house across the river.

Overall this was a disaster of epic proportions for us financially. However, many good things also come out of these kinds of episodes – we are in awe of the goodness of so many people.

It will take us a long time to recover as the revenue we are losing in this time of rebuilding, as well as the cost involved in this process, has set us back substantially. JosMacs has reopened with a little facelift in the meantime, and we would like to thank our staff for the hard work in making this possible.

We invite anyone affected by the floods to come and write their abbreviated story on our ‘Flood Memory Wall’ or just to come and sign their names. Whether you helped others or were flooded yourselves, come and make your mark in history while sharing your stories with us. We need your support now more than ever!

We would like to thank our families, friends, the community and all those who donated to help flood victims for their endless support. People have been incredible and it has given us a much needed emotional boost to see how much people care!

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20 | 31

Living through a flood through the eyes of Geoffrey Hlangane Bruce McDonald

G

eoffrey works as a camp attendant on the DLK farm (Dia Naidoo) on the portion of Durham that was badly affected by the floods. This is the account of the floods at the Naidoo Camp as told to me informally by Geoffrey in his own words.

My wife and I woke up around 3h30 am in the morning with water in our house. As we jumped out of bed, the water was already at knee level.

We tried to open the door, which was very difficult to do as the water pressure outside was already very strong and

rising. We managed to open the door and when we got outside the water was already chest deep. We managed to get to the safety of the garage area.

This was not going to help us and we waded to one of the camp rondawels.

This soon became flooded when the door gave way and broke. We then decided to move to the double storey building and got to the second floor where we thought we would be safer.

At between 05h00 and 06h00 in the morning the water level reached the upstairs level of the house. We could no longer exit the building and had to make a plan.

We piled cupboards and wardrobes

on top of each other and climbed onto the rafters on top of the roof.

The water continued rising and we decided to claw our way through the thatched roof to get out of the building.

After making a hole in the thatch, I managed to pull my wife out through the hole.

We then climbed a big tree next to the building where we felt safe. We were stuck in the tree from about 8:30 am until 4:30 pm until the water level subsided enough for us to get down.

I had phoned our owner Mr Naidoo, while we were in the tree, who got a message to the warden, Mr Rowles, to let him know of our situation.

D

Foto: Zani Kunz

DONATE R250 to clothe one child in a complete school uniform for 2012

CONTACT Zani @ 082 713 8778 or zani@ecochildren.co.za

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

ie hardekop leeus (onder) het verseg om hulle stukkie pad op te gee. Die projekbuffel (regs), oorspronklik vanuit die Casketts pad se rigting (sien die storie op bls3), het na die Dando vloed weer by KPNR HK kom draai.

Foto: Kate Meares

T hank yo u for you r ge ne r osit y a nd fantastic suppor t in 2011!

32 | Klaserie Chronicle /Kroniek no. 20

Rhulani’s experience of the floods Rhulani Mathonsi

I

woke up on Wednesday 18 January 2012, not knowing that it would be a day never to be forgotten. It was raining, but not heavily when I left home to catch the bus to go to work in Hoedspruit. However, when I was on my way to the office it started raining like I had never seen before.

I arrived in Hoedspruit, but I could not get to the office because of the rain water that was flooding across the

road at the bridge near Wimpy. Winky Mokgope phoned me about 7h00 and told me to go back home, because it was not possible to get to the office.

She was stuck on the other side of Hoedspruit at Parma Nurseries, because the Sandspruit River was flowing over the bridge.

A taxi stopped and offered to drive us back home.

When we arrived at Kapama there was no way to cross because the water was flooding the road, so the taxi

dropped us and left. I had to walk on the railway line from Kapama to Acornhoek. Everywhere you looked there were lots of people walking along the railway line.

This was the highest level above the water. It was still raining very heavily.

When I arrived home I found the whole house leaking. It was water everywhere. I also lost my personal and work phone that day, but I want to thank God because I am still alive and safe.

Winky stranded the whole day 2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

Winky Mokgope

W

ednesday, 18 January 2012, is a day that I will never forget in my life. As usual, I travelled to work in Hoedspruit by bus. We left at 06:00. It was raining, but not very hard. To my surprise when we arrived at Parma Nursery, people travelling to Hoedspruit were stuck because the bridge was flooded and there were about 40 buses there.

Zani sent me back home to check if our families were fine. We waited for Great North Transport, but they only responded after several hours. At Abdool’s shop the lady driving the bus bravely crossed the bridge although it was overflowing. I was so scared.

We survived the first bridge. When

• • • • • •

we came to Westfalia Bridge a truck was stuck in the water right across the road. We turned back to Snake Park Road and although the bridge was flooded, with fish swimming everywhere, we crossed it. Just when I thought we were safe we were stopped at Marepe Country Lodge. The entire road could collapse at any minute, so no crossing otherwise we would all die.

We pushed the lady to use Blyde Road, but it was worse than the other places. I was so hungry, and there was no place to buy food. It was like watching a movie. One lady in the bus was preaching the Word of God saying in the last days it might be possible that you would not even get a chance to say goodbye to your kids, like now.

The wall at Blyde shopping centre

broke down under the strain of the water and people were running from their shops to safety. Eventually they ended up parking the buses at Khamai Reptile Park. I phoned my mum to take care of my children.

At 17:00 that afternoon the buses took everyone to the bridge next to Marepe Lodge to cross there on foot.

Other buses from Hoedspruit were helping people to get home. I put my shoes in the bag and on my head, and crossed the river with the water up to my neck. Thousands of us crossed the river that way – even though we could not even swim.

We walked from Marepe Lodge to Kampersrus. When I arrived home it was 20:00 that night. That was how I survived the floods.

Professional flight training on Bantam aircraft (Accredited by Micro Aviation SA) Anti-poaching patrols and follow-up operations Game census surveys and wildlife monitoring Rhino monitoring programmes and protection Ferry flights throughout Africa Aerial photography

Bruce McDonald has over 27 years of combined flying and conservation experience. Contact him on 078 417 6518 or airborne.adventure@gmail.com. PROUD MEMBER OF THE BATELEURS. “FLYING FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN AFRICA”

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20| 33

Gary Freeman

A

phone call came through early on the morning of Wednesday 18 January 2012. A friend asked if I had heard that Hoedspruit had received a good amount of rain during the night. A couple of calls later verified this fact as well as the possibility of the Klaserie flooding. By lunchtime, I was on the road heading east. The Blyde River cut off our progress to Hoedspruit, and the night was spent at Swadini. Early the following morning, the impact of flowing water could be seen along all the roads as we approached Hoedspruit.

We entered Klaserie through Xikankaneni Gate and only reached the camp well into the afternoon as the road that had to be negotiated was still under water and in many places still flowing.

We had already noted that the Klaserie low water bridge had been destroyed so held out very little hope for the trails camp surviving. From the ridge above the camp, we were greeted with total destruction. There was a tent draped in an Acacia tortilis well downstream from the camp. Equipment was strewn along the high water mark of the river, flashes of red and blue from under enormous piles of reeds.

The camp that had been there since the mid 1970s was now a shattered campsite. A Land Rover lay on its left hand side, boma roof sheets projecting from the chassis.

Another was 30m away, parked precariously on the path to the tents, but the tents were gone. The kitchen had popped like a ripe orange with the force of the water. Fridges, crockery cupboards, gas stove, tables and chairs were upside down, haphazardly deposited by the floodwater. The entire wash-up kitchen had disappeared, along with the boma, serving table and surrounding fence. The water had

passed over the roof of the main kitchen, reeds and debris still projecting from rafters.

The game viewing platform was still standing, leaning slightly forward and packed to the rails with reeds.

Standing beneath the enormous jackal-berry tree - my feet in the fine silt mud which resembled quality chocolate mousse - the volume of water that came through the camp became evident.

The water mark was four metres above the base of the tree.

I stood there and absorbed the total destruction of the camp through which I had conducted walking trails since 1988. Everything that should have been there was gone.

There was not a single tent in place. One was wrapped around the trunk of a tamboti tree with the headboard from a bed projecting through the tent wall, surrounded by the twisted tent frame.

Water was still trickling along the canvas.

By this stage, evening was approaching and a small hiking tent was to be home for the night.

The following day, family members arrived and the big cleanup began.

Equipment, mostly shattered or buckled was retrieved from trees, some as much as 400 metres from the camp.

A fridge had been swept from the kitchen and was now perched on a huge pile of reeds. Not far off was the camp trailer, on its wheels, but without the lid.

The contents, mainly mattresses and

groundsheets had continued on their journey downstream to an unknown destination.

The following week was spent trying to get some order back into the camp.

The Land Rover was winched upright onto its wheels and immediately we all felt a lot better.

Engines, gearboxes, transfers cases, differentials all had to be drained of their contaminated oil, a result of the Land Rovers being submerged for hours.

The work continues, clearing reeds and repairing the campsite. It will be many months before everything is back on track again. Everything that was disturbed by this unexpected disaster...

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

Unexpected Disaster...

34 | Klaserie Chronicle /Kroniek no. 20

KLEIN HELD IN DIE BOSVELD Antoinette Lerm

V

Jen Howson bravely crossed the Klaserie River on February 24, 2012 to attend a CET board meeting

Strandpartytjie!

Zenta Nel

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

E

k sit op die stoep en kyk uit oor die rivier. Nie dat ek ‘n rivier kan sien nie. Anderkant die heining is digte bos en riete en riete en nogmaals riete. Dit is lowergroen en pragtig. Van tyd tot tyd kom rooibokke, njalas, koedoes, kameelperde, olifante en ander wild rustig en al weiend in die rivier gestap.

Vier weke later staan ek weer op die stoep. So ver soos ek kan sien is bome gebreek, vaal riete sit in massas aan alles vas en die rivier vloei rustig en oop en bloot verby.

Weerskante van die rivier is groot, oop sandbanke en ek besef: ‘n vloed het ons boshuisie in ‘n

strandhuisie verander.

Hoe reageer mens op so ‘n situasie? Wat doen jy? Die antwoord is maklik: Hou ‘n strandpartytjie!

Dit is presies wat ek, Anton, Kate en Zani gedoen het. En hèt ons dit gedoen! Ons is af ‘strand’ toe met veelkleurige sambrele, ‘n verskeidenheid vreemde hoede en al die pragtige veelkleurige handdoeke wat ons as donasies gekry het.

En natuurlik pizzas en yskoue mengeldrankies!

Ons het gespeel, in die vlak water ‘geswem’, gesels, gelag en in die son gelê. Later kon ons tydens ‘n asemrowende sonsondergang ons goedjies oppak en huis toe gaan en weet: Ons en die rivier is weer vriende!

roeg die oggend van die 18de Januarie 2012, sit Stevie en wag dat sy mamma moet wakker word. Hy besluit om aan te trek. Dit is die eerste dag van skool na ‘n baie lang vakansie, en hy kannie wag om by die skool te kom nie.

“Mamma, opstaan ons moet ry. Ons gaan laat wees vir die skool.”

Sy staan op en sien hoe dit reën. Sy besef die ou blou karretjie gaan nie in die reën die pad kan ry nie. Sy eerste teleurstelling van die dag.

Hulle sit toe maar op die stoep en kyk hoe dit reën. Die volgende oomblik sien sy ma hoe die bome in die rivier afkom.

Stevie het dadelik gedink dit is krokodille.

Uiteindelik kom sy oupa om koffie te maak. Hy waag dit om sy oupa te vra maar nadat hy die wêreld betrag het besluit hy ook dit is onmoontlik, en Stevie besef hy kan ook nie sy maatjies daardie dag sien nie.

Toe die groot teleurstelling. Hulle sien net hoe die water so vinnig aankom, eers op die hoek van die gras en toe amper by die huis. Hier kom moeilikheid. Die volgende oomblik het sy ma net geskree, “Stevie hardloop gaan klim in die kar!”

Hy het vinnig gehardloop en gesien hoe die water net kom en kom.

Sy ma het ingeklim want die water was al in die huis, en dit het nog steeds gereën sonder ophou. Die oupa en ouma was in die bakkie al uit in die pad.

“Ek en mamma gaan dit nie maak nie.

Die kar wil nie lekker ry nie. Mamma start en trek weg. Dan vrek die kar weer.

Mamma moet nou gou maak anders gaan die water ons saamvat. Mamma start weer die kar, en weer, en weer en toe kom ons uit. Sjoe, dit was amper!”

Dit reën en reën en die water kom en kom net. Dan vra ek vir mamma.

“Wat gaan ek nou oor hê? Gaan die water al my goed vat? Wat van my DVDs en speelgoed en my Playstation? Gaan dit nog daar wees? Gaan ons in die huis weer kan inkom?” Hoe nou gemaak? Wat gaan ons nou doen? Die huis is onder water en ek gaan nêrens hê om te slaap nie. Ek het alles verloor alles. Die trane loop en my hart is baie seer.”

(RED: As die sewejarige seuntjie nie so opgewonde was om skool toe te gaan nie, wie weet wat sou gebeur het. Gelukkig het die gemeenskap mildelik bygedra om die gesin weer op die been te kry)

CYCLONE DANDO

Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20| 35

- RIVERS IN RETROSPECT

T

he little town of Hoedspruit and the surrounding private nature reserves of Timbavati, Klaserie, and Balule that make up part of the Greater Kruger Park are situated in a fairly arid area of South Africa. (It is just this characteristic that bestows us with our converted sweet grasses).

Rain is revered; we pray for it, dance for it, discuss it constantly and even name our children after it. The current season was proving to be a wet one even before the tropical storm Dando made landfall over Mozambique and then the north east of South Africa.

The first we heard of the impending weather change was from our children reporting that our local Southern Cross Schools had alerted them to an approaching cyclone.

Typical of bush folk we shrugged the warning off; perhaps an inherent mistrust of our weather bureau is to blame. The hot humid afternoon of Tuesday, 17 January, exhibited none of the mayhem to come, and we went to sleep that evening to the comforting distant rumble of thunder.

Throughout the night we were aware of falling rain that became progressively more persistent until the drum of rain on the roof top was joined by the sound of rushing water as run-off accumulated into streams and then rivers.

Sleep was infiltrated by subconscious alarm bells at dawn, joy shifting to alarm and we stared in disbelief at the dam in front of our camp, which was then lapping at the deck and had pushed under the doors of the rooms at the B & B across the way.

The 4 x 4 vehicle

of resident patrons was already axle deep in mud and with a little help from our friends we hurriedly got them out and on their way heading for the mountain pass, travelling through swollen rivers gushing over the tarred road.

And still the rain came down in a constant curtain of water. There was no wind and only distant thunder. The downpour was misleadingly benign in all but sheer volume.

The small local community on our side of town instinctively sought out the refuge and companionship of the bush pub where we gathered under the thatch and watched the river rising.

Soon the debris had collected at the bridge, slowing down the flow and causing the water to spread out, bursting its banks.

Household goods and furniture were carried along by the brown swirl and we watched helplessly as a parked vehicle was picked up and spun around. Still the bridge held.

All communications and power were then cut off, and speculation was rife. We had been notified earlier that morning that our beloved nDzuti Safari Camp was flooded with just the roof tops showing above the water and the Land Rover submerged.

Gradually by late afternoon the sky brightened and rain slowed and paused intermittently, allowing us to gingerly venture onto the bridge, and marvel at the river and the volume and power of water.

On many of the protruding bridge posts there was a snake of sorts that had managed to escape the torrent and cling on for dear life. Swallows were diving and swirling

around us, their mud nests on the underside of the bridge ruined.

Frogs leapt about and birds sang out brightly every time the sky lightened momentarily. Slowly the river subsided and a watery sun set on 18 January, 2012.

During the night, out in the bush the water rose, overfull dams broke their earth walls, so further flooding, bursting rivers and roads became waterways.

Many folk had to leave their beds hurriedly to climb to a higher spot.

The helicopters started at dawn, lifting stranded families from rocky islands in the stream or a yielding tree top.

With the roads closed and the communications and power down it was a wonder they knew where to look.

LIVES CHANGED

For a few families living out in the bush the cyclone and ensuing flood changed their lives irreversibly as they lost their homes, possessions and even their livelihood.

Rebuilding of lodges is a lengthy process, and some may decide to simply close shop.

The air force base in Hoedspruit and the local municipality together with some concerned citizens distributed food and water to isolated areas.

Here in the bush, weeks later the seep lines still ooze water out of the ground; the roads are deeply rutted and many river crossing are still impassable.

The debris of numerous safari camps litters the flood plains of the major rivers and unrecognisable articles of clothing flutter in tree tops.

The bush is a verdant green, sparkling and clean, the grass BEFOR E no longer lying flat but standing proudly and tall − it almost looks as if it did not happen!

AFTER

Panorama photos: Mark Wilkes

2012 CYCLONE DANDO: special report

Judy Meeser

ALASTWORD

36 | Klaserie Chronicle/Kroniek no. 20

MAKE A DATE p KLASERIE PRIVATE NATURE RESERVE AGM 14 Julie 2012

p HLOKOMELA CLINIC DATES 26 April; 10 + 24 Mei; 14 + 28 Junie; 12 + 26 Julie; 16 + 30 Aug; 13 + 27 Sept; 11 + 25 Okt; 15 + 29 Nov; 13 + 27 Des.

p CET HOLIDAY WORKSHOP DATES Teacher Training: 25 & 26 June Children: 2-5 July Teacher Training: 24 & 25 September Children: 1-4 October Teacher Training: 3 & 4 December Children: 10 – 13 December

9p SANTA SHOEBOX PROJECT NATIONAL DROP OFF WEEK 24 – 31 October

Linda Geldenhuys, General Manager of MAD, with the parents, students and mentors in March.

Zani Kunz, Mpumalanga Santa Shoebox Project Coordinator attended the SSB National Conference in Cape Town. She had to present a 15 minute slide show and talk on her experience as a successful first-time satellite station, topic: A Mighty Heart: the story of a first time coordinator.

Winner of the “WHERE AM I?” competition

Elaine Spang from Pretoria, a visitor to the Reserve and a regular reader of the Klaserie Chronicle.

Congratulations Elaine!

KIT-A-KID

K

it-a-Kid handed out 186 vouchers worth R71 500! Thank you everyone for donations. Although it is a yearlong project we envisage providing 300 learners with a uniform by December so they can start the new year in a brand new uniform. If you want to become more involved either with a bulk sponsorship for a class or two in our Support-a-School project or a donation for a uniform, please contact us.

CET says thank you for ongoing support to ...

• • •

• •

Elodie Janovsky – 70th Birthday presents = donations to Kit-a-Kid Kit-a-Kid donors - however big or small Alastair Wood, J Ogilvy-Thompson , Baader family, Rainer Jahn & Friends, Ruest Family, Southern Cross Schools’ OPD fund, Davies Foundation – monetary donation towards specific projects Mike Anderson friends and family– Annual monetary Christmas donation Stuart & Katrin Woodhead –

• • • • •

Monetary donation and a TV Pick n Pay Hoedspruit – Consumables and cleaning materials Victim Support Unit – Consumables, toys, linen and cleaning materials BuCo (Laeveld Bou Hoedspruit) – discount on building material Sharalumi Building Solutions and SM Structures – Donation towards the KPNR-CET Building project Elodie Janovsky – donation of books

• • • • • •

Program IT – support and discount on IT equipment HR Cover – support and discount on services Klaserie Private Nature Reserve HQ management and staff – logistics and support during Holiday Workshops Parma Nursery - vegetable seedling Simunye Project – Clothing; Balls; Stationery; Printer, etc Rob Childs, Jose Faria, Johann Baard – Clothing