Overflowing river sweeps away car, kills four in Limpopo

Limpopo police have recovered four bodies of people whose vehicle was swept away by water flowing over a bridge at the Makotopong River between Madiga and Makotopong village.

Provincial police spokesperson Col Malesela Ledwaba said five occupants were travelling in a blue Renault Kwid along the Madiga and Makotopong gravel road when the vehicle allegedly overturned at the overflowing bridge and was swept into the river on Sunday morning.

He said one of the occupants managed to escape from the vehicle and alerted police and emergency personnel.

However, the provincial search and rescue team responded to the scene and recovered the body of Lebapa Petrus Mochitele, 27, from the water on Sunday.

Mochitele was certified dead on the scene.

“Search operations continued on Monday with the SAPS Water Wing Unit, assisted by EMS Search and Rescue, the Fire and Rescue Department, and the EMS helicopter. During the operation, the submerged vehicle was located, and three additional bodies were recovered,” Ledwaba said.

The victims were identified as Seobi Dikgale, 33; Betty Makokoane, 22; and Shellote Dikgale, 30, all from Madiga village.

Limpopo provincial commissioner Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe applauded the efforts of the team that managed to recover all the bodies after two days of intense searching.

“My heartfelt condolences to all the bereaved families,” Hadebe said.

Sowetan