Residents in Thaba 'Nchu said a tornado ripped through the area and blew off the roof of Albert Moroka Secondary. This school is one of 23 marking centres in the Free State. The Centre hosts the markers of Accounting P2 and Business Studies P2.

The Marking Centre Manager reported that the centre was hit by a tornado with heavy rain, stormy winds and hail. OFM News contacted the Free State Education Department and its spokesperson Howard Ndbaba confirmed some of the markers were injured by falling debris. He says the school hall, marking centre, control room and some classes were damaged.

Ndaba says the roof plates were blown off and ceilings collapsed which resulted in some scripts getting damaged. He says officials and markers did their best to limit the damage to the scripts. Ndaba says the full extent of the damage is yet to be assessed.

OFM News also received information that the vehicles of some of the markers were also damaged. Several households were also left in the dark in the entire Mangaung region - that includes Bloemfontein, Thaba 'Nchu and Bothabelo. A standby team from Centlec had their hands full as the stormy weather led to power outages. This is a developing story

OFM News/Ike Mosia