SANDF member dies in New Year’s Day drowning incident

The body of a 36-year-old female member of the SANDF has been recovered following a drowning incident in Polokwane, Limpopo, on New Year’s Day.

According to a police report, the woman was travelling with two other occupants in a Renault Triber when the vehicle was swept away by fast-flowing floodwater after becoming stuck on a bridge along Grobler Street.

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It is reported that the two other occupants, including the driver, managed to escape by grabbing onto reeds and making their way out of the river. Tragically, the SANDF member was unable to escape and did not survive the incident.

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Police divers later conducted an extensive search and recovered her body approximately 2.5 kilometres downstream from the initial scene. The circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation.

The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has once again warned communities and reminded them of the potential danger posed by overflowing rivers and streams due to flooding during this rainy season.