Eight bodies recovered from Free State stream after vehicle swept away

At least eight bodies have been recovered from a stream in the Free State after a vehicle the passengers were travelling in was swept into the water.

This as several parts of the country experience heavy rainfall.

The South African Police Service (Saps) confirmed that a farmer made the grim discovery on Monday.

Bakkie in stream

Police spokesperson Captain Loraine Earle said the tragic incident happened during the weekend.

“Preliminary investigations indicate that a bakkie carrying multiple passengers was travelling from Heilbron on Saturday afternoon and did not reach its destination on a farm in the Heilbron district. The occupants were reported missing on the night of 02 March 2025.”

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Earle said they were travelling along a Welgeluk dirt road between two farms when the driver of the bakkie attempted to cross the Kliprivier low-water bridge.

Bodies

“The vehicle was swept away by strong currents, leading to the loss of multiple lives. The driver a 71-year-old man with his wife, a 62-year-old and their three grandchildren, two boys aged 10 and one girl aged 14 were driving together with their colleagues, a husband (34) and wife (33) with their two-year-old girl child.

“Police went out to search for them, and they were discovered by a farmer this morning (Monday, 03 March 2025). Search and Rescue dogs with their handlers and police divers were immediately dispatched this morning, and after an extensive search operation, the bodies were retrieved from the water,” Earle said.

Warning

Earle said police have opened an inquest docket and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The Saps has urged the community to exercise extreme caution during these rainy conditions and to avoid crossing flooded areas, particularly low-water bridges, rivers and streams.

“We advise the public to avoid crossing flooded roads, bridges, or streams, even if the water appears shallow, to not attempt to walk or drive through fast-moving water, as its depth and strength can be deceiving or to find alternative routes and wait for water levels to subside before proceeding,” Earle said.

KZN floods

The incident follows the devastating floods in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) that claimed 11 lives, destroyed homes and closed multiple roads around the eThekwini Municipality.

Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) MEC Thulasizwe Buthelezi urged communities living in low-lying areas and near riverbanks in the affected areas to seek shelter on higher ground immediately.

This after the South African Weather Services (Saws) issued an Orange Level 5 warning for intensified rainfall and thundershower, which could lead to flooding.

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