| Water Police Divers recover 28 bodies across Gauteng | |
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| Date Published: | 2025/01/22 |
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Media Statement GAUTENG - In the wake of the Safer Festive Season campaign, the South African Police Service Gauteng Water Policing and Diving Services have had a formidable effort, recovering twenty-eight bodies from various locations across Gauteng since the beginning of December 2024 until 19 January 2025. Each December members are deployed on a daily basis at Bronkhorstspruit Dam, Roodeplaat Dam as well as Vaal Dam and River while being on standby for any incidents that may occur across Gauteng. Their duties comprise vehicle patrols, vessel patrols on the waters, vessel inspections and checks, resort visits and removal of any illegal items or fishing nets. These duties continue throughout the festive season and into the New Year to prevent lawlessness. This festive season was however dominated by rescue, recovery and diving operations. Heavy rains and flooding contributed to members carrying out 10 diving recovery operations, seventeen rescue and recovery operations with six (06) victims rescued and sadly seventeen (17) victims’ bodies recovered in separate incidents. These incidents took place during December at among others Vaal Dam and River, Klip River, Spaarwater Dam, Sebokeng, Orange Farm, Tembisa, Atteridgeville, Centurion, Hennops River, Rietspruit, Rooikraal, Klein Jukskei (Douglasdale) and Carletonville. Throughout these incidents members still managed to conduct in excess of 17 vessel patrols, 193 resort visits, 196 vessel checks, attend 12 complaints, issue 67 warnings, remove 26 illegal markers and confiscate hundreds of metres of illegal fishing nets during December. Operations have continued throughout January with another eleven (11) bodies recovered and two (02) active scenes being investigated with vehicles in water in Tshwane and Johannesburg. The SAPS Water Police regularly collaborate with the SAPS K9 Search and Rescue, SAPS Air Wing and Drone Unit as well as other Gauteng Emergency Services. These collaborations play crucial roles in the extensive efforts demonstrated in the recent Klein Jukskei (Douglasdale) incident where the body of a missing child was recovered in December. Searches are conducted through various means, including air, canoe, boat, divers and members on foot. These efforts were again demonstrated in a second incident in the same area for an adult male beginning of January and another extensive search in Tedstoneville, Elsburg for a victim washed away by the river. Other notable incidents that occurred were murder victims recovered, alleged illegal fishermen drownings, victims and vehicles washed off low water bridges, victims playing in rivers being swept away by strong currents, persons living in storm water drains drowning and workers cleaning pools allegedly falling in and drowning. Inquest dockets for these incidents are currently under investigation. Individuals with information or who witnessed incidents are encouraged to contact the relevant SAPS station or Crime Stop at 08600 10111. In light of all these recent and ongoing incidents, the inherent dangers of rivers and dams demand continuous attention. Individuals intending to traverse rivers are urged to do so exclusively at dedicated bridges, as accidents often stem from victims being swept away by rapid currents. Those engaging in baptism rituals should be cognizant of associated risks, considering the potential contamination of Gauteng Rivers like Klip River and Juksei with sewage and chemicals, posing health hazards. Precautionary measures are emphasized to avert needless loss of life. Individuals venturing onto dams, rivers, or waters for any activity are advised to do so only with a life jacket. Parents of young children near open waters should educate them about the associated dangers and ensure constant supervision. Witnesses to water-related incidents on dams or rivers are urged to provide multiple landmarks to pinpoint locations for immediate search and rescue efforts. With warm weather and the rainy season heightened awareness is crucial to mitigate accidents. The public is reminded that fishing with nets is illegal and constitutes a criminal offence. Ends
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