KWAZULU-NATAL – Search and rescue teams have recovered four bodies following a tragic incident in which six people were swept away when their vehicle attempted to cross a flooded low-lying bridge in eNadi, eMabovini (central Kwazulu-Natal), last Thursday evening.
The incident occurred after 19:00 on 5 March when the vehicle carrying the six occupants tried to navigate the flooded bridge.
Rescue teams recovered the first two bodies on Friday. A female was found in the iNadi River in uMsinga, whilst a second female, who was pregnant, was located in the uThukela River on the Nkandla Local Municipality side.
On Saturday, two more victims were recovered from the uThukela River: a female on the uMsinga side and a male at eMakhabeleni within the uMvoti Local Municipality.
The victims identified thus far are aged between 25 and 40. Two males remain missing.
The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (COGTA), through the Provincial Disaster Management Centre, continues to coordinate search and recovery operations. Teams are working around the clock to locate the two missing persons.
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for COGTA, Reverend Thulasizwe Buthelezi, extended his condolences to the bereaved families and commended the search and rescue teams for their efforts across multiple municipal boundaries to provide closure to the families.
The Department, in coordination with the uMsinga Local Municipality, is in constant liaison with the affected families to provide support during this period.
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