A Community’s Search Ends in Heartbreak

After four days of relentless searching across water-logged terrain, the desperate hunt for a Dundee woman swept away in Saturday’s violent storm has ended in tragedy. Her body was recovered this afternoon, bringing a somber close to a community-wide effort that included specialized K9 units from Empangeni.

The woman, whose identity has not been publicly released, was reportedly washed into an open manhole in the Mzomusha area of France during the driving rain on Saturday evening. Witnesses saw her disappear into the raging stormwater system, which feeds into the nearby Steenkoolspruit.

Discovery Near the Riverbank

The breakthrough came when a cattle herder, traversing an area near the Nyanyadu road just past the new cemetery site, spotted the body approximately seven meters from the Steenkoolspruit. Emergency services were immediately alerted.

Phumlani Ntombela, Endumeni’s Disaster Manager, whose team had coordinated the intensive search since Saturday night, confirmed the discovery. “The family was called to identify the body. It is very tragic but at least the family has closure,” Ntombela said.

Mayor’s Condolences and a Call for Vigilance

Dundee Mayor Mcebo Mkhize, who was on the ground with search parties, expressed profound sadness. “It is with deep sadness that we report that the woman was recovered but tragically did not survive,” he stated. He extended gratitude to the professional teams and assisting residents, and offered heartfelt condolences to the Langa family.

Mayor Mkhize added a crucial plea for community safety: “We should all continue supporting one another and to report any emergencies promptly to authorities.”

The recovery closes a chapter of agonizing uncertainty for a grieving family, but it also underscores the deadly danger posed by sudden floods and compromised infrastructure during KwaZulu-Natal’s volatile summer storms. For the community of Dundee, it is a heartbreaking reminder of nature’s fury and the fragility of life in its path.

{Source: Citizen}

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