By Neo Mathibe
The community of Hlotse in the Leribe district is experiencing an emotional turmoil after Sunday’s flash floods left a large portion of the town’s oldest and largest graveyard at Mankoaneng village submerged under water.
The agitated residents who spoke to theReporter said they are worried that, if the cemetery is not drained promptly, the water might collapse the graves and wash away the remains of their loved ones, in a repeat of a similar incident that happened at nearby Sebothoane village a few years ago.
They urged the authorities to intervene and get rid of the water and, to avoid future destruction, erect proper water drainage systems.
Approached for comment today, the Leribe district administrator Ndiwuhleli Ndlomose, said he was in the dark about the extent of the cemetery flooding, since he was still new in his posting in the district. He only confirmed that indeed the town had experienced flash floods after a torrential downpour ‘a few days ago’.
He referred this publication to the Hlotse Town Clerk Lesibo Molalle, who said they are yet to assess the exact scale of the damage with Reserve Chief Mantsoe Molapo of Hlotse, before deciding on the nature of intervention required.
