Heavy Gauteng rains lead to 28 deaths

The Safer Festive Season marketing campaign noticed the SAPS Gauteng Water Policing and Diving Providers intensify operations, recovering 28 our bodies from numerous areas throughout the province between December 2024 and January 19.

In line with the Gauteng SAPS Fast Response Providers media liaison officer, Warrant Officer Grant Giblin, each December SAPS groups are deployed each day to the Bronkhorstpruit and Roodeplaat dams and Vaal Dam and River.

“Officers’ duties comprise car patrols, vessel patrols on the waters, vessel inspections and checks, resort visits and eradicating unlawful objects like fishing nets,” he stated.

“These duties proceed all through the festive season and nicely into the New Yr to stop lawlessness.”

Elevated rescue and restoration operations

This season’s operations have been dominated by rescue and restoration efforts pushed by heavy rains and flooding.

SAPS members did 10 diving restoration operations and 17 rescue and restoration missions, rescuing six victims and recovering the our bodies of 17 others.

These incidents occurred in numerous areas, together with:• The Vaal Dam and River;

• The Klip River;

• The Spaarwater Dam;

• Sebokeng;

• Orange Farm;

• Thembisa;

• Atteridgeville;

• The Hennops River (Centurion);

• The Rietspruit;

• Rooikraal;

• The Klein Jukskei (Douglasdale);

• Carletonville.

Giblin stated the groups did over 17 vessel patrols, 193 resort visits, 196 vessel checks, issued 67 warnings, and eliminated 26 unlawful markers throughout December.

“Tons of of meters of unlawful fishing nets have been additionally confiscated,” he acknowledged.

January operations and ongoing investigations

Operations continued this month, with 11 extra our bodies recovered and investigations underway at two energetic scenes involving submerged autos in Tshwane and Johannesburg.

Collaboration for efficient searches

The SAPS Water Police collaborated with the SAPS K9 Search and Rescue, the SAPS Air Wing, the Drone Unit, and different emergency providers. These partnerships have been essential in incidents corresponding to:

• the restoration of a lacking little one’s physique within the Klein Jukskei (Douglasdale) in December;• retrieving a person’s physique from the identical space in January.• looking out in Tedstoneville, Elsburg, for a sufferer swept away by river currents.

Nature of incidentsTragic incidents included:• victims swept away whereas crossing low-water bridges or taking part in in rivers.

• staff drowning whereas cleansing swimming pools;

• folks in stormwater drains drowning;

• alleged unlawful fishermen drowning;

• recovering homicide victims from water our bodies.

Security warnings and investigations

SAPS reminds the general public to:• use solely designated bridges to cross rivers;• watch out at baptisms in contaminated rivers like Klip and Jukskei;• put on life jackets when partaking in water actions;• supervise youngsters close to water and educate them about water security.

Witnesses to water-related incidents are urged to offer detailed landmarks to assist rescue groups. Fishing with nets stays unlawful and punishable by legislation.

As the nice and cozy climate and wet season proceed, the SAPS stress vigilance and adherence to security measures. Stopping avoidable tragedies stays a precedence, making certain the protection of all people close to Gauteng’s rivers and dams.