Mozambican farmworker killed by lightning leaves family devastated

A 26-year-old Mozambican farmworker who was killed in a suspected lightning strike leaves behind a wife, child and mother who are preparing to lay him to rest in his home country.

The family of Rassie John Panja is finalising arrangements to repatriate his body to Mozambique after the fatal incident on a farm near the old Witbank Dam in Mpumalanga on October 15, reports the Middelburg Observer.

According to his uncle, Manuel Paulo Madjimba, Panja was a quiet and hard-working man who helped support his family.

Madjimba said his nephew was taking shelter under a tree during a storm on that day when the tree was struck by lightning.

“He was a breadwinner and leaves behind his mother, wife and child,” said Madjimba.

“His passing comes after he visited his family in August. He always smiled. We are saddened by the situation and we just want to take him home and give him a respectful funeral.”

Panja’s sudden death has left his family facing immense hardship, as they have lost someone who played a central role in providing for them.

“It’s difficult at home because he took care of everything,” said Madjimba.

“He would always help us with the little he had.”

Panja’s death is not an isolated incident. Previous lightning-related tragedies reported by Caxton publications have highlighted the dangers thunderstorms pose to people outdoors.

In November 2025, the Middelburg Observer reported on the death of a 15-year-old schoolboy from Mhluzi who was struck by lightning while walking home from school. His family was preparing to lay him to rest in Limpopo.

In another incident in November 2021, two people were killed and 10 others injured after lightning struck near a football field in Sheepmoor, Mpumalanga. The incident demonstrated how a single strike can affect several people at once.

The Northcliff Melville Times also reported on a fatal lightning strike in Sophiatown in February 2021, highlighting the ongoing concern about lightning-related deaths in South Africa.

A previous Middelburg Observer report cited estimates of between 100 and 140 lightning-related deaths a year in South Africa.

The incidents highlight the risks faced by people working, travelling or spending time outdoors during thunderstorms.

Safety guidance advises people to seek shelter in a substantial enclosed building or a fully enclosed vehicle when thunderstorms approach. Trees are not safe places to shelter because lightning can strike them directly or travel through the ground and nearby objects.

The farm where the incident happened is situated near the old Witbank Dam.

Funeral arrangements are under way as the family finalises the paperwork needed to repatriate Panja’s body to Mozambique.

His return home is expected by the end of this week so that he can be laid to rest.

Warrant Officer Nonhlanhla Mdluli confirmed that an inquest docket had been registered at Middelburg Police Station.

The inquest will help establish the circumstances surrounding his death.

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Emanuel Majola 2 minutes read Facebook X LinkedIn Tumblr Pinterest WhatsApp Telegram Share via Email Print Support local journalism Add The Citizen as a preferred source to see more from Network News in Google News and Top Stories.