Northern KZN: Lightning kills 13-year-old girl

The parents of a 13-year-old school girl have been left grief-stricken after she was killed by a recent lightning strike in Nquthu, northern KwaZulu-Natal.

The incident occurred on Friday, 5 November 2021 and prompted the KZN Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Department to warn residents about the weather situation as it persisted.

“The latest weather warning issued by the South African Weather Service indicates that severe thunderstorms are expected to continue in the northern parts of the province namely the Districts of Mkhanyakude, Zululand and uMzinyathi,” KZN Cogta said.

Support for girl’s family after being killed by lightning

KZN Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka has dispatched disaster management teams to provide support to Akhona Sibiya’s family. It isn’t clear whether Sibiya was home when the lightning struck.

Hlomuka’s warning follows the tragic incident that took place in the Sibiya household in Ntabamkhosi in the Nquthu Local Municipality where their 13 year old daughter Akhona Sibiya died of her injuries after being struck by lightning yesterday. MEC Hlomuka has dispatched disaster management teams to provide support to the affected family.

KZN Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Department

Hlomuka has called upon residents to exercise extreme caution as the province is expected to experience inclement weather conditions (some which will give rise to lightning thunderstorms) during the course of the season.