Authorities in Limpopo have launched an inquest following the harrowing recovery of a female South African National Defence Force (SANDF) member’s body from a stream on New Year’s Day.
The 36-year-old soldier was one of three occupants in a vehicle that became ensnared by rising waters on a bridge along Grobler Street during the early hours of Monday morning. According to preliminary reports, the vehicle was overwhelmed by a sudden torrent at approximately 4:00 am, sweeping the occupants into the swell.
Whilst the driver and a second passenger managed a miraculous escape by clinging to reeds along the riverbank, the deceased was unable to withstand the force of the current. Following an extensive search operation conducted by police divers, her remains were discovered approximately 2.5 kilometres downstream from the initial site of the incident.
Colonel Malesela Ledwaba, spokesperson for the South African Police Service (SAPS), confirmed that the body has been retrieved and noted that “the circumstances surrounding the incident remain the subject of an ongoing investigation.”
In the wake of the tragedy, the Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant-General Thembi Hadebe, issued a stern reminder to the public regarding the lethal nature of overflowing watercourses during the current rainy season.
This incident marks a somber week for the nation’s armed forces. On Tuesday, a separate discovery was made at the Komati River in Mpumalanga after a local fisherman raised the alarm regarding a body seen floating in the water. These remains are believed to belong to a missing SANDF member who vanished during the execution of Operation Corona.
That operation took a catastrophic turn near the Macadamia border post when a Military Police vehicle was swept away while attempting to navigate a swollen river. One soldier was confirmed dead in the immediate aftermath, whilst another was declared missing. The subsequent search and recovery mission utilised the combined expertise of the SAPS Diving Rescue Unit and a SANDF Oryx helicopter.
The double loss of service members in separate aquatic accidents has cast a pall over the New Year festivities, highlighting the perilous conditions faced by both civilians and military personnel during South Africa’s summer storm season.
