The Matjhabeng Local Municipality has asked residents whose homes were damaged in Sunday’s “tornado” in Welkom, to report incidents to their local ward councilors.
The Municipality said several structures succumbed to inclement weather on Sunday afternoon, including the Welkom Fire Station, HTS School, Unitas School, and local businesses and residential properties.
Emergency response teams are out assessing the extent of the damage and providing urgent relief where necessary.
Tshediso Tladi, the Matjhabeng Mayor’s Spokesperson said “in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, we are prioritising the restoration of essential services and infrastructure, with a particular focus on the fire station and affected schools.”
Tladi said the municipality is aware of opportunistic criminal activities, including the theft of steel and aluminum materials from damaged municipal property.
“Such behavior is unacceptable, and we are working closely with law enforcement agencies to address these incidents and protect our community’s assets.”