THE Cape Town City Council on Monday began demolishing unsafe houses damaged by a tornado which hit the Cape Flats on August 29. Five people died, 119 were injured and hundreds of families were left homeless when the tornado devastated areas in Manenberg, Surrey Estate and Guguletu. Damage to housing and infrastructure has been estimated at more than R150-million. The council said the demolition is going ahead in preparation for rebuilding operations. It is optimistic that the 300 affected families, whose homes were damaged beyond repair, will be able to return to their homes within four to six weeks.