KZN floods victim remains missing since Tuesday

There has been no success in recovering the body of a KZN floods victim Thembinkosi Sihle Sibandze.

HERDSMAN NOWHERE TO BE FOUND

The 23-year-old herdsman is resumed dead after he was swept away by floods on Tuesday, 27 June.

According to Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA), the search for the 23-year-old herdsman resumed the following day (Wednesday) with no success.

“Sibandze is a Swazi national residing in Zwelisha – KZN.”

RUSA

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WHAT HAPPENED DURING THE KZN FLOODS

It is reported that he was herding cows in Palmview on Tuesday afternoon when torrential rains swept through Durban. He attempted to traverse a river with his herd of cows when he was swept away. It is also reported that he was swept alongside a cow which fortunately managed to exit the flooded river.

The incident was witnessed by several residents.
Members of Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) scoured the river banks following the incident in an attempt to locate Sibandze but the search was cancelled due to flash flooding.

ALSO READ: Tornado aftermath: Here are WORST affected schools in KZN

RUSA SEARCH UNSUCCESSFUL

The report further suggests that Reaction Officers returned to the area the following morning and discovered that the level of the river had drastically reduced. “RUSA Members search river banks from Zwelisha to Ottawa without success,” the company explained.
Officers and members of the public would be assisted by the SAPS Search & Rescue to conduct a sweep of the river with a specialist dog upon the unit’s arrival.

The flash floods that battered KZN earlier this week has at least claimed seven lives.

HOW TO REPORT SOMEONE MISSING

According to the South African Government, if someone close to you is missing, you should report it to the police as soon as you know they are missing. You do not need to wait for 24 hours. 

You can contact the Bureau for Missing Persons to report a missing person or go to your nearest police station and report that the person is missing as soon as possible.
Take with you a recent photograph of the missing person so that it can be scanned into the National Bureau for Missing Persons database. This database is a Crime Stop project and police all over the country use it. Give any information that might help to identify the person, such as their age, height, hair colour, eye colour, and any identifying marks such as scars or tattoos. You may be asked to fill in forms giving all this information.

ALSO READ: Missing Person Recovered at a Mortuary in KZN [RIP]