Dramatic footage has emerged of the tornado that hit Gauteng in South Africa earlier this week.

The video, shot on Tuesday, shows the twister spinning close to some industrial buildings.

"I was busy with routine plant maintenance, when I felt a strong wind that blew me off my feet," the filmer wrote online.

"Next moment, there was a big bang on my right hand side about 100-200m from where I was standing."

"I looked up and then saw some metal sheeting flying around coming towards me," he continued.

"Immediately I took cover against a big cement firewall; I looked up and then realised that a tornado-shaped wind forming about 100 meters from where I was standing.

"At that moment I took out my mobile phone and started recording.

"At first I did not realise that it was an actual tornado because of the fact that tornado's are not common in South Africa.

"Later I realised the big bang that I heard before seeing the tornado was a piece of sheet metal that landed in the plants power station.

"The Phumlani Mall that was destroyed during the tornado is across the road from the company that I work for."