Limpopo Floods: Death toll rises to 22 as seven remain missing
The death toll from severe flooding in Limpopo rose to 22 after the recovery of another body, as rescue teams continue searching for seven missing people.
Image: Limpopo LEDET
The death toll from flooding and drowning incidents linked to heavy rains in Limpopo has climbed to 22, with seven people still missing as search and rescue teams continue operations across the province.
The Department of Co-operative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs (COGHSTA) confirmed that the latest incidents occurred in the Waterberg and Sekhukhune districts, where three boys drowned in separate tragedies over the weekend.
A 16-year-old boy drowned while swimming with five others at Marulaneng village in the Waterberg District on Friday. In Sekhukhune’s Elias Motsoaledi Municipality, two seven-year-old boys drowned late on Saturday in a river between Luckau and Legolaneng villages.
“Rescue teams in both areas, as well as community members, have joined efforts in searching for the missing bodies,” COGHSTA said.
During the search, two more bodies were recovered: a 15-year-old boy who drowned at the Selati River near Mashishimale outside Ba-Phalaborwa, and a 48-year-old man who went missing on January 18 at Nghomunghomu village near Malamulele.
“The discovery of these bodies brings the total number of deaths linked to heavy rains in Limpopo to 22,” the department confirmed.
COGHSTA MEC Basikopo Makamu said communities continue to ignore safety warnings despite worsening weather conditions.
“We have been continuously calling on communities to stop engaging in risky behaviour during this period due to severe weather conditions that have engulfed our province. However, we are continuing to see a rising number of deaths that are related to drowning. Communities must adhere to safety tips and remain vigilant,” Makamu said.
He urged parents to keep children away from swollen rivers and dams.
“This is not the right time to allow children to go swimming. Once one is swept away by water, the possibility is that he/she might not be rescued in time and might lose their lives,” he added.
Meanwhile, Human Settlements Minister Thembi Simelane has called for a national framework to better prepare South Africa for climate-induced disasters, following her visit to flood-hit areas in Limpopo and Mpumalanga.
Speaking at the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality council chambers in Mpumalanga, Simelane said disaster planning must go beyond provincial boundaries.
“The initiative should not be limited to Mpumalanga but must extend nationwide to safeguard communities and strengthen resilience,” she said.
She raised concerns about delays in emergency housing relief due to poor planning and lack of suitable land to relocate disaster victims.
“We need to start planning collaboratively, plan for our growth, say where we are going and what happens during disasters. We must be proactive and prepare land accordingly with weather reports and projections,” Simelane said.
Mpumalanga's MEC for Cooperative Governance, Human Settlements and Traditional Affairs, Speed Mashilo, echoed the Minister’s call for better planning.
“We cannot continue to behave like we don’t know or anticipate the types of disasters, especially with our weather forecasters being able to predict the amount of rain expected to fall in the rainy seasons,” Mashilo said.
Simelane and Mashilo also committed to reviewing human settlements grants to help rebuild damaged roads, sewer systems and stormwater infrastructure to reduce the impact of future floods.
Additional rescuers from the National Disaster Management Centre have been deployed to Limpopo to assist with recovery efforts as authorities urge residents to avoid unnecessary travel, swimming and crossing swollen streams during heavy rains.
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