Deadly Lightning Strikes Hammanskraal

…40 injured, 2 fatalities at Mphebatho Troop Festival

 A cultural event at the Dertig Sports Ground in Hammanskraal turned into a casualty scene yesterday, 3 January 2025, after a massive lightning bolt strike left the township north of Pretoria in a state of mourning.

Forty attendees at the annual Mphebatho Troop Festival became casualties of adverse weather conditions, which left two people dead at an event that brought hundreds of people together to celebrate local heritage through traditional music and dance.

The lightning incident occurred around midday yesterday, after a deceptive start to the afternoon saw a fast-moving storm sweep through the Mathibestad and Majaneng areas. As the clouds gathered, the intensity of the coming strike was not immediately apparent or anticipated by the crowds who remained gathered in the open field.

A single, powerful bolt of lightning reportedly hit a concentrated group of approximately 40 people. The strike proved fatal for two individuals - a man in his 40s and a woman in her 30s, who were both local residents of Hammanskraal.

At least eight casualties were classified as being in critical condition and were rushed to specialised facilities, including Hammanskraal’s Jubilee Hospital and George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa.

This unfortunate incident has cast a dark cloud over the Moretele Local Municipality, with Mayor Masango George expressing profound heartbreak.

“This is a deep wound for the people of Moretele. What started as a joyful gathering to celebrate our cultural traditions turned into a nightmare.

“We will ensure that updates are provided on the injured as they receive care,” added Masango.

The Mphebatho Troop Festival, often associated with the broader ‘Diturupa’ or trooper traditions of the region, is an event of immense historical significance for the Bakgatla-ba-Kgafela people and the broader Hammanskraal community.

Hosted annually during the festive season, between Boxing Day on 26 December and the first week of January, the festival serves as a living tribute to the African soldiers who served in the two World Wars.

Participants traditionally dress up in replica military uniforms and perform highly disciplined military-style drills, marches and dances to the rhythmic beats of drums and sounds of blaring trumpets.