Police divers and rescue teams in South Africa’s Limpopo province have resumed search operations for four individuals swept away in separate flooding incidents amid ongoing heavy rainfall and widespread inundation.
The missing persons are:
- Siyanda Baloyi, a five-year-old boy from Mbaula village near Giyani in the Mopani district. He was swept away early Thursday morning (January 15) when floodwaters engulfed his family home around 6 a.m. His mother, Olgah Shivambu, managed to cling to a tree and was later rescued by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) using helicopters, but the child could not be located despite immediate efforts.
- Lindelani Munyai, a 22-year-old man from the Thohoyandou area in the Vhembe district. He was carried away by strong currents on Tuesday while attempting to cross the flooded Mutale River at the Mangaya–Shanzhe Bridge alongside his father, who survived by holding onto a tree.
- Two other people—a South African national and a Somali national—who were traveling together in a bakkie (pickup truck). They were swept away while trying to cross a submerged bridge in Tswinga village, also in the Vhembe district outside Thohoyandou.
South African Police Service (SAPS) spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba confirmed that multi-agency search and rescue efforts— involving SAPS divers, SANDF support, and emergency services—are actively continuing in the Mutale River, Tswinga village, and Mbaula village areas. Operations have persisted or intensified as of Sunday, January 18, despite hazardous conditions from persistent downpours that have caused rivers to overflow, bridges to submerge or collapse, homes to be destroyed, and communities to become isolated.
These incidents form part of a broader flooding crisis affecting Limpopo and neighboring Mpumalanga, triggered by heavy rains originating from a storm system that moved in from Mozambique. Authorities report at least 19–30 fatalities province-wide (including earlier December cases and recent ones), over 1,000 homes damaged or destroyed, infrastructure losses estimated in the billions of rand, school closures, road blockages, power disruptions, and evacuations via helicopter from rooftops, trees, and stranded locations.
President Cyril Ramaphosa visited affected areas, including Mbaula and Tshakhuma, to assess the damage, describing it as catastrophic. The South African Weather Service has maintained high-level warnings for continued disruptive rainfall, though conditions are expected to gradually stabilize in the coming days.
Brigadier Mashaba reiterated a strong public appeal: avoid crossing flooded rivers, streams, or bridges at all costs, as even seemingly shallow or slow-moving water can be deadly and unpredictable. Residents in flood-prone areas are urged to follow official safety guidance and report any relevant information to authorities.
As of the latest reports on January 18, no recoveries have been publicly confirmed, and the searches remain ongoing with no resolution for the missing individuals. Communities continue to face significant challenges from the flooding’s aftermath.