Justice and Correctional Services Minister Ronald Lamola says over a hundred prisoners from the Waterval Correctional Centre in Utrecht, KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), have been transferred to nearby facilities after a tornado ripped through the area on Friday.
20 houses were demolished within the centre and another 20 houses were damaged. On Saturday, a second tornado hit the area of Ulundi in northern KZN. This brings a total of four tornadoes striking the province this month.
Lamola has visited the centre to assess the damage and says over 40 prison officials had their residences damaged and have been given temporary shelter.
“We are encouraged to note that no fatalities were reported and we are working towards normalising operations. Four cells in medium A were damaged and electricity and water supply have been disrupted. 141 offenders have been transferred to nearby facilities. We are also assisting 46 officials whose official residences were severely damaged and we have provided temporary shelter. Non-governmental organisations are assisting with the provision of meals and we want to thank them for that contribution. Our facilities, officials together with public works will assess the situation further and work towards repairing the center.”
Watch videos of tornadoes in KZN below:
