By Staff Reporter
TSWINGA-A bakkie driver, believed to be a Somali national, was swept away while attempting to cross the flooded Tswinga Bridge on Saturday, 18 January, amid severe weather and flooding across the region.
It is alleged that the driver was carrying stock in the vehicle when he tried to cross the water‑logged bridge. Heavy currents reportedly overpowered the vehicle, causing it to lose control and veer downstream into the raging waters.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that there were three occupants in the bakkie at the time of the incident. Police from Madini Police Station arrived at the scene, and a search and rescue operation is currently underway as authorities strive to locate the missing driver and any others who may have been in the vehicle.
The tragedy comes as Limpopo continues to battle widespread flooding following days of heavy rain. Multiple communities have been cut off due to washed‑away roads and damaged bridges, prompting urgent calls for caution from officials.
Meanwhile a two‑year‑old child drowned in a pit at Nkomo Village, outside Giyani.
Another one‑year‑old child drowned in a pit at Humulani Village, outside Phalaborwa. She
The body of a man who drowned in a local stream at Malungani Village in Namakgale (outside Phalaborwa) was also discovered.
Search and rescue efforts are ongoing in the Phalaborwa area for other individuals presumed to have been caught in flood‑related incidents.
Authorities continue to urge communities to stay away from flooded rivers, bridges, and low‑lying areas as hazardous weather persists.
