LIMPOPO – In a statement released, Police spokesperson, Col Moatshe Ngoepe said these operations were precipitated by the high rate of incidents where people go missing in the mountains, rivers or in the bushes. “Some victims drown while swimming in the dams and rivers without the close supervision and others are caught by crocodiles while conducting illegal fishing in rivers and dams which are crocodile infested,” he said.
In the Gravellote Policing area outside Phalaborwa, the body of 29-year-old Fondani Matsimbe was recovered after he accidentally slipped and fell into a dam he was busy constructing for crocodiles.”The body of the deceased was later retrieved through diving as it was deep and the area of search was very broad.”
At the Albasin Dam in the Waterval Policing area outside Makhado, the body of 35-year-old Tinashe Ngwenya, was retrieved after he drowned and in the Seshego Policing area, the body of a middle aged man was retrieved from a sewage drain near the local shopping mall.
Lastly, in the Rakgoadi Policing area outside Groblesdal, the body of 30-year-old Peter Phahlamohlaka, was retrieved from the local dam after he drowned while allegedly conducting illegal fishing with his friend in the evening. “It is alleged that at around 21:00 he entered the water with a small canoe, started fishing with a net and he never returned back until the Police were summoned.”
The Acting Provincial Commissioner of the South African Police Service in Limpopo Major General Jan Scheepers has applauded the Police Search and Rescue, Airwing and K9 units on the job well done and further urged residents to take extra precautions whenever they are near the rivers especially, around those infested with crocodiles. “Those who go swimming, should do so under the close supervision of a swimming expert, to prevent incidents of this nature to occur,” Major General Scheepers concluded.
