By Johnathan Paoli
The City of Ekurhuleni has confirmed that ANC councillor Andile Mngwevu, the MMC for Roads and Transport Planning, is missing after a vehicle he was travelling in was swept away by floodwaters of the Limpopo river in the region of the Mozambican town of Chokwe.
Search and rescue operations are under way, with South African authorities working closely with Mozambican officials as efforts intensify to locate those still unaccounted for.
“As the City of Ekurhuleni, we can confirm that the MMC is indeed missing. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Mngwevu family, and we are hopeful that he can be located as soon as possible,” City spokesperson Phakamile Mbengashe said.
According to the Mbengashe, the MMC was travelling with four other occupants when their vehicle was overwhelmed by floodwaters in Chokwe, a town that has been severely affected by heavy rains and flooding in recent days.
One of the occupants managed to escape from the vehicle and reach safety. A South African rescue mission deployed to Mozambique has since made contact with the survivor.
Mbengashe confirmed that the individual who escaped is in good health and currently in safe keeping, with discussions under way to move him to the South African consulate in Mozambique.
The whereabouts and condition of the remaining occupants remain unknown.
The City has not confirmed whether Mngwevu was on official business at the time of the incident.
“As of now, we cannot confirm the purpose of the travel,” Mbengashe said, adding that investigations and information-gathering efforts are ongoing.
The Executive Mayor of Ekurhuleni, Nkosindiphile Xhakaza, has been in contact with Mngwevu’s spouse, who arrived in Mozambique on Tuesday night to be closer to the unfolding search operation.
The City said it is providing support to the family and urged the public and media to respect their privacy during what it described as a deeply distressing time.
While the identities of the other occupants have not yet been made public, Mbengashe said the City is working with DIRCO to ensure that all next of kin are formally informed before any further details are released.
The incident comes amid widespread severe weather across the region, with heavy rains triggering flooding in parts of Mozambique, South Africa and Eswatini.
Authorities have repeatedly warned motorists to exercise extreme caution, particularly in low-lying areas and near rivers prone to rapid swelling.
Mbengashe said that a high-level meeting involving the executive mayor and senior city officials was scheduled for later on Sunday to receive an update on the rescue efforts.
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