A 22-year-old man, Lindelani Munyai, is missing after he was allegedly swept away by the flooded Mutale River on Tuesday afternoon, between Mangaya and Tshanzhe villages.
According to his family, Lindelani was walking with his father, Takalani Munyai, when they attempted to cross the river at the Mangaya–Shanzhe Bridge. The river was already heavily flooded due to continuous rainfall.
Ntuwiseni Monyai, the missing man’s uncle, said the family is going through a difficult time.
“Things are very difficult at the moment; we cannot say much. We opened a case in Tshilamba, a helicopter came and tried to look for him in the water, but they were not successful,” he said.
He explained that both Lindelani and his father were swept into the water but managed to hold onto a tree.
“The father was the first one to slip into the water. The boy followed him and they were both holding onto a tree. The father then decided to let go of the tree and swim in an attempt to save the boy's life. The father managed to swim across and left the son standing on a small island. He went to look for help and when he came back, the son was no longer there,” Monyai said.
The family confirmed that a SAPS aircraft, along with community members, has been assisting in the search. They have also appealed to residents living along the Mutale River to alert them if they see anything that could help locate the missing man.
Vhembe District Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Vuledzani Dathi confirmed the incident and said Mutale Police are investigating the disappearance. He added that the search resumed on Wednesday, 14 January.
Dathi also urged community members to avoid crossing flooded rivers and bridges as heavy rains continue to affect large parts of the Vhembe District.