The community of Mashishimale village in Limpopo has mobilised in large numbers to search for two boys, Mahlatse Shai (15) and Tshepo Shai (17), who went missing after being swept away by the overflowing Selati River on Sunday afternoon. According toLetaba Herald, the two boys, one from Tshubje village and the other from Mosemaneng, were reportedly part of a group of four teenage boys who were swimming in the river near a bridge in Mashishimale. According to eyewitnesses and nearby community members, two of the boys were from Tshubje while the remaining two were from Mosemaneng.
It is alleged that the boys were jumping into the river as it flowed towards the bridge. At the time, the bridge was congested with trees and debris that had been swept downstream by the overflowing river, which initially helped the boys to stop themselves from being carried away. However, one of the boys missed the trees and was swept away by the strong current.
The second missing boy reportedly jumped back into the river in an attempt to rescue him. It is further reported that before reaching a large stone, the river forms a dangerous whirlpool where the water flows rapidly, spinning and pulling objects downward. It is at this point that the two boys disappeared in the fast-flowing river.
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The search operation resumed on Monday morning, with the assistance of the search and rescue team. However, yesterday the boys had not yet been found. Limpopo Disaster Management Centre spokesperson Tsakani Baloyi confirmed the incident, stating that only the two boys are currently missing in Phalaborwa.
“A third young man managed to rescue himself when the two were swept away by the overflowing Selati River. Rescuers were called to the scene, but nothing could be done as it was already dark. The search for the missing boys resumed at 08:00 the following day,” said Baloyi.
Meanwhile, thesearch operation for a five-year-old boy, Siyanda Baloyi, from Mbaula is still ongoing. The child went missing at around 06:00 last Thursday after his mom was attempting to escape from their flooded home when the structure collapsed while they were still inside. Olga Shivambu, a mom of two, survived by clinging to a tree after being swept away for several kilometres.
She was later rescued by a SANDF helicopter and is currently receiving medical treatment at Maphutha Malatji Hospital in Phalaborwa. The older brother was at his grandmother’s house at the time of the incident. The boy’s father, Lucky Baloyi, said he was not home when the incident occurred as he works in Pretoria and had left home on January 11.
“When the rain started, we thought it was normal rain until the house began flooding at around 03:00. The house collapsed while they were inside. She managed to push the doors open and escape, but when she went outside, they were both swept away by the floodwaters and the child slipped from her as the water pushed them apart.
She screamed for help, hanging onto a tree until community members heard her. The SANDF rescued her at approximately 08:00,” Baloyi said.
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