'I tried to resuscitate her' - Tongaat man's tragic account of losing his wife

Loading player...
A Tongaat man has told East Coast Breakfast about the heartbreaking moment he lost his wife when Monday's tornado destroyed their home.

On Monday afternoon, large parts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) were battered by damaging winds and torrential rain. Some areas, particularly in Tongaat, were devastated by a wedge tornado.

The East Coast Breakfast team, in collaboration with The Gift of the Givers, hosted a first-of-its-kind 'WhatsAppathon' on Friday morning. The event was broadcast live from the Vishwaroop Temple in the Tongaat area to raise funds for those affected.

One Tongaat resident, Viven Gounden, (pictured below) joined the East Coast Breakfast team to share his story. He told the team how his wife, Rennisha, died after the collapse of their home.

According to Gounden, he managed to shield his seven-year-old son, but the strong winds caused the ceiling to collapse.

"In one minute, everything stopped; the entire house was completely wrecked."

As a nurse, Gounden immediately attempted to resuscitate his wife, but was unable to sustain his efforts due to the severity of her injuries.
7 Jun 2024 7AM English South Africa Society & Culture · Daily News

Other recent episodes

The weather system behind KZN's warnings may not be what you think

The South African Weather Service has issued multiple weather warnings across KZN this week. While the current conditions have been linked to a cut-off low, Vox Weather meteorologist Annette Botha believes that may not be the driving force behind this weather system. Botha joined East Coast Breakfast to explain exactly…
28 Jul 1AM 4 min

From level 2 to level 6: A Durban forecaster breaks down weather warnings

The South African Weather Service has issued multiple weather warnings across KZN this week. Nhlanhla Sithole, a forecaster at the Durban Weather Office, joined East Coast Breakfast to explain what the different warning levels mean. He also unpacked what residents can expect from the weather over the next few days…
28 Jul 3AM 5 min