Johannesburg – Gauteng Premier David Makhura has told residents of Winnie Mandela informal settlement in Tembisa that the government will help normalise their lives, this after a rare tornado ripped through the area on Tuesday.
Tembisa township was struck by the tornado on Tuesday afternoon, causing substantial damage to Phumulani Mall, as well as homes surrounding it.
“Family members told us that furniture fell over them, including on young children. All of them have been treated and have been discharged,” Makhura told residents.
He added that a nearby hospital was also damaged which made it hard for them to treat patients while they were experiencing a crisis as well.
Over 120 families were being assisted by the so-called Red Ants security service, as well as emergency services, to reconstruct their homes after they were damaged by the tornado.
Residents of the informal settlement followed Makhura around as he visited some of the people who were affected.
“We have to be grateful that no lives were lost, but that doesn’t mean the situation is not important,” he said.
The Tornado lifted the roof off the mall and a number of homes, damaging power lines which in turn cut off the electricity supply of the township.
Ekhuruleni Mayor, Mondli Gungubele, and Makhura assured residents that their electricity would be reconnected by the end of the day.
“We are confident that electricity will be restored,” Makhura said.
Key provincial government departments, which included the Department of Health, as well as the Department of Education, were also on scene assisting residents.
The full extent of the financial damage would only be known in a few weeks after proper assessments.
Structural engineers, along with the management of Phumulani Mall, were on site to inspect the damage.
African News Agency