LIMPOPO POLICE INTENSIFY SEARCH OPERATIONS FOR THREE (03) MISSING PERSONS FOLLOWING INQUEST CASES
POLOKWANE: The Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has enlisted the assistance of SAPS K9 Search and Rescue teams from Gauteng and Mpumalanga to reinforce ongoing search operations following several inquest cases linked to recent flash floods in the province.
The intensified operations follow reports of persons who were swept away by flooded rivers across different policing areas.
In one incident, two male persons were reported missing after allegedly being swept away by the Selati River at Mashishimale Village in the Namakgale policing area on Sunday, 18 January 2026. Their bodies were subsequently retrieved.
The body of a 17-year-old boy was recovered at the Selati River near Maune Village on Wednesday, 21 January 2026, while the body of a 16-year-old boy was discovered at the same river near Mosemaneng Village on Thursday, 22 January 2026. The deceased were identified by their family members as Tshepo Shai (17) and Steven Mahlatse Shai (16), both residents of Mashishimale Village in the Namakgale policing area, Mopani District.
In a separate incident, police also discovered the body of a 31-year-old male, identified as Mushaishi Khumbula, at the Maungani Mvudi River on Tuesday, 20 January 2026. It is alleged that the deceased was swept away by the flooded river on Friday, 16 January 2026; however, the incident was not reported to the police at the time.
On Tuesday, 20 January 2026, at approximately 09h45, police were summoned to the Maungani Mvudi River following the recovery of the body. The deceased was found trapped in the river and his body was already in an advanced state of decomposition.
Meanwhile, SAPS Search and Rescue teams are continuing with search operations to locate three (03) missing persons. These include two occupants of a vehicle that was swept away by the Dzindi River at Tswinga Village in the Thohoyandou policing area, Vhembe District, as well as a five-year-old boy, Siyanda Baloyi, who went missing at Mbaula in the Giyani policing area, Mopani District.
Police investigations into all the inquest cases are continuing.
