Storm wrecks havoc in Joburg south

A HUGE storm wreaked havoc in parts of Joburg south, damaging houses, shacks and a newly-built school.

Livingstone Magqabi last night spent the night in a house without a roof following the storm that hit parts of Freedom Park near Soweto. He prayed that it would not rain.

“I have slept in the open before. This time I am in a house but it does not have a roof. I will survive. My only worry is that if it rains, my belongings will be damaged,” said Magqabi, 53, of Siyaya section, Freedom Park.

His house is among nearly 60 houses damaged by the storm, which also hit Naturena.

“I was sitting in the bedroom when the storm struck. The roof was blown away. I ran to the kitchen for my safety but the roof was also blown away.

“I then ran for the door. When I got outside, I saw a woman who lives in a shack in the yard.

“The roof and one side were blown away. The other side fell to the ground,” said Magqabi.

Last night, Nomsa Mkhwanazi, who lives in the same area was filled with tears as she told of the damages to her RDP house built 12 years ago.

“My 11-year-old son was alone in the house. He says he was watching TV in the lounge when the storm hit. He says there was a strong wind and he saw fire coming out of the power cables.

“I am just grateful that he was not injured. I do not know where to start now,” Mkhwanazi said.

Affected residents have pleaded for assistance.

In Naturena, where part of the roof of a newly-built school was blown away, residents told of a harrowing few minutes that could have been worse.

Thoko Cindi, 46, said it was dark outside while strong winds were blowing.

A few minutes later, the storm was gone, leaving roofs blown away and security walls in several houses on the ground.

The South African Weather Service yesterday said a cut-off low causing adverse weather conditions over greater parts of South Africa had developed.

“This will result in further cold to very cold, wet and windy conditions over most parts of the country. Severe thunderstorms with possible hail and damaging winds are expected over the central parts of the Free State, Gauteng as well as the central and eastern parts of the North West Province,” read SAWS statement.

Warnings of heavy rains leading to flooding were issued for most parts of the country, including KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.

Some roads, including the N3 highway in KwaZulu-Natal, remained closed due to snowfalls last night.