Storm destroys 34 houses in Soweto

At least 34 houses were damaged in Soweto after a severe storm swept through the township yesterday afternoon.

Three of the houses - in Protea Glen Extension 11 - were completely destroyed.

No casualties or injuries were reported.

Jan Vermeulen, a senior forecaster at the SA Weather Service, said it was still not known whether the storm was a tornado.

"There are indications that it could have been a mini-tornado. My readings indicate that there was a severe wind that travelled at 125km/h," said Vermeulen, who added that tornadoes usually travelled at more than 200km/h.

Leonard Zimbi, his wife Selina, and their two children, Constance and Naledi, will now have to share the one room of their four-roomed home that was not affected by the storm.