Only a few hours after nine Nongoma people killed in a lightning strike in the KwaZulu-Natal town the previous weekend had been buried a bolt struck a soccer field in the area during a game on Saturday killing two more people.
Eleven people were injured in the latest strike.
Hail and rain destroyed homes, uprooted trees and damaged vehicles.
In the past month nearly 26 people have been killed and 40 injured by lightning strikes, most of them in northern KwaZulu-Natal, which is known for its deadly thunder and lightning storms.
KwaZulu-Natal emergency medical rescue service spokesman Robert McKenzie said the service had responded to a large number of lightning-related incidents recently.
Footballers aged between 15 and 25 were playing in front of a large crowd when the lightning struck.
Three of the injured are in a critical condition.
KwaZulu-Natal Premier Senzo Mchunu said that although nothing could be done to stop the storms precautions could be taken.
"The provincial government is [distributing] lightning conductors to [protect people]," he said.
McKenzie said the storm could have been centred several kilometres away from the soccer field, which might be why the crowd did not realise they were in danger.
He said people should be aware that lightning could strike from afar.
"People need to seek shelter, but not in houses with a corrugated iron roof."
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