KOMATIPOORT – Search and rescue teams discovered human remains in the Komati River on Monday during the ongoing operation to locate a South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldier who went missing last week after being swept away by floodwaters.
The remains were found near the border between Mozambique and South Africa after a local fisherman alerted the search team about a body floating in the river. Authorities have confirmed the remains are those of a male person, suspected to be the missing SANDF Military Police member.
The discovery was made along the Komati River in Komatipoort, where the extensive search operation had been focused since the tragic incident occurred on Thursday, 26 December, during a military operation in Macadamia.
Two SANDF members were swept away by floodwaters while attempting to cross a swollen river in during Operation Corona in a military vehicle.
According to an official statement released by the SANDF, the strong current of the flooded river overwhelmed the vehicle, resulting in two personnel being swept away by the rushing waters.
The body of one SANDF member was recovered after the incident, while an extensive search and rescue operation continued for the second missing soldier.
“The remains, suspected to be that of the missing SANDF member, were found next to the borderline between Mozambique and South Africa,” according to official police statement.
An inquest case has been officially registered, with DNA testing scheduled to definitively determine the identity of the deceased person.
The SANDF leadership, including Defence Minister Angie Motshekga and Chief of Defence General Rudzani Maphwanya, continue to provide support to the families affected by this tragedy. One SANDF member’s body was recovered shortly after the initial incident last Thursday.
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