Investigation launched into drowning of SANDF woman in Limpopo after car swept away
Limpopo are investigating an inquest case after the discovery of the body of a 36-year-old female member attached to the South African National Defence Force.
Image: Phando Jikelo / Independent Newspapers
Limpopo police are investigating an inquest case after the discovery of the body of a 36-year-old female member attached to the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) in a river stream in the City of Polokwane.
Provincial police Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said the grim discovery was made on Thursday, January 1, 2026, around 11am.
"The report received by the police is that this morning (Thursday) at around 4am, the deceased, together with the other two occupants of the car (Renault Triber) were swept by heavy flowing water after their car got stuck under the bridge along Grobler Street," said Ledwaba.
Ledwaba said that the other two occupants, including the driver, managed to grab reeds and exit the river, but unfortunately, the woman did not survive the catastrophic incident.
"A search was conducted by the divers, and the body was found about 2.5 kilometres from the initial scene and retrieved from the river," he said.
He added that circumstances surrounding the incident are still under investigation.
In a similar incident, two SANDF members drowned in Mpumalanga after their patrol vehicle was swept away on Christmas Day when it was caught by strong currents in a flooded section of the Komati River during Operation Corona, the SANDF’s ongoing border safeguarding mission.
The pair attempted to cross a flooded river during border control operations in the area. One of the members was found immediately after the incident while a search to locate the second victim continued for several days.
His body was eventually found next to the borderline between Mozambique and South Africa.
Police said an inquest case has been registered where DNA tests will be conducted to confirm his identity.
IOL