Police in Polokwane are investigating an inquest case after the body of a woman attached to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) was recovered from a stream in the city on New Year’s Day. According to a preliminary report, the 36-year-old woman and two other occupants of a car were swept away by floodwater after the car got stuck on a bridge along Grobler Street. Police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said the incident happened at about 4am.
“It is reported that the other two occupants, including the driver, managed to grab reeds and exit the river, but the deceased did not survive. A search was conducted by divers, and the body was found about 2.5km from the initial scene and retrieved from the river. The circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation,” Ledwaba said.
Limpopo police commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe warned communities and reminded them of the potential dangers posed by overflowing rivers and streams during the rainy season. This week, remains believed to be those of a missing SANDF member were discovered on Tuesday on the Komati River in Mpumalanga after a fisherman alerted authorities to what appeared to be a body floating in the water. The discovery followed an incident during Operation Corona, in which a military police vehicle was swept away while attempting to cross a swollen river in the Macadamia area near the border.
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One soldier was confirmed dead at the time, while another was reported missing. Search and recovery efforts involved the SAPS diving rescue unit and a SANDF Oryx helicopter.
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