The police have ended the Komatipoort, Mpumalanga, search after the human remains believed to be the second missing South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier were recovered near the Mozambique border. Authorities are awaiting DNA test results following the disappearance of two SANDF soldiers who floodwaters swept away on Christmas Day while they conducted border patrols near the Macadamia military base. The soldiers were attempting to cross a submerged, low-lying bridge when strong currents from heavy rainfall swept away their vehicle.
Search teams recovered one soldier’s body on 26 December and made the latest discovery on 29 December. The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service (Saps) in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, said that the search operation officially concluded on 31 December 2025. Mkhwanazi said the Search and Rescue team, including the Saps Diving Unit in Mpumalanga, faced numerous challenges, including severe bad weather, continuous rainfall, swelling rivers, and the presence of crocodiles and hippos in the area.
This had a major impact on the operation and posed significant risks to the safety of the team members. “The tireless commitment of the team has enabled significant progress in the mission to somehow provide closure to the families and colleagues of the two SANDF members involved in the tragic incident,” Mpumalanga Saps spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli said. Mdhluli added that the police cannot ignore the huge contribution of the good Samaritan who first reported the incident on 26 December, initiating the operation. “How can one forget a local resident who graciously offered his crane to assist in retrieving the SANDF bakkie that was used by two SANDF members and then got swept away by the aggressive water current,” he said.
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