A councillor from Ekurhuleni is missing in Mozambique after floods swept away his vehicle, prompting a rescue mission amid catastrophic flooding affecting thousands. The City of Ekurhuleni’s mayoral committee member for roads and transport management, Andile Mngwevu, is missing after the vehicle he was travelling in was swept away by floodwaters in Mozambique. In a press release on Sunday, 18 January, the municipality confirmed that Mngwevu had travelled to Chokwé in Mozambique, which has been flooded after heavy rains.
A South African rescue mission deployed to Mozambique has established contact with one of the five individuals who was travelling in the vehicle with Mngwevu when it was swept away. “The status and whereabouts of MMC Mngwevu and the other occupants remain unconfirmed at this stage,” said the City of Ekurhuleni. “The South African mission is actively engaging local Mozambican authorities and emergency services in the affected area.” South Africa’s national government has stepped in, coordinating with the office of the executive mayor in Ekurhuleni to provide support to Mngwevu’s wife, who travelled to Mozambique on Saturday, 17 January.
Authorities are exploring additional support mechanisms, including security and evacuation assistance, according to the municipality. “Search and verification efforts are ongoing, and the city remains in close contact with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and other relevant national structures,” said the City of Ekurhuleni. Daily Maverick asked the municipality about the purpose of Mngwevu’s visit to Mozambique and progress in ongoing rescue efforts, but had not received a response at the time of publishing.
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The Mozambican government reportedly declared a “red alert” throughout the country on Friday, 16 January, due to the catastrophic flooding caused by torrential rains. TheAgência de Informação de Moçambiquereported that 103 people had died so far in the 2025/26 rainy season, with more than 673,000 people affected, 1,160 houses destroyed and a further 4,000 homes damaged. Over the past seven days, parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga have been battered by incessant rain as the storm that started over Mozambique travelled into the border provinces, causing flooding that has submerged entire villages and damaged roads, bridges and critical infrastructure.
On Sunday, Thilivhali Muavha, the Limpopo premier’s spokesperson, said the official death toll in the province stood at 11. He noted that there had been reports of people being swept away by floodwaters on Saturday, but that the police had yet to confirm whether these incidents resulted in fatalities. Muavha said that while the waters had subsided in many areas, the province was still urging caution around affected waterways.
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