Justice and correctional services minister Ronald Lamola visited the Waterval Correctional Centre in Utrecht in KwaZulu-Natal after a tornado hit the area this weekend.

“There's no-one who escaped and no-one was injured,” Lamola told eNCA.

“The only thing we need to deal with is the assessment of the damage.”

Parts of the correctional centre were damaged on Friday night, including about 20 houses that were being used by staff, leaving dozens of families homeless.

Newcastle Growth Coalition chair Johan Pieters went out to the area on Saturday morning.

“It's devastating to see dead animals and uprooted trees as well as destroyed homes,” he told SowetanLIVE sister publication TimesLIVE.

He said the community was in desperate need of water and food. A local bottling company, Thirsty, had donated water on Saturday morning.

“The affected residents will still need more. We urge locals to come forward with food items too,” Pieters said.

Below are some pictures posted on social media after the tornado tore through the area.