The Provincial Commissioner of police in Limpopo Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe has issued a stern warning to parents to look after their children, particularly during rainy season.
The appeal comes against a background of incidents of drowning and attacks by wild animals in rivers across the province.
The latest incident happened at Saselemane policing area in which two young boys aged 16 were allegedly swept away by a flowing river on Saturday, 04 January 2025, as they were swimming in Luvuvhu River, Xikundu. The divers were called to the scene and managed to retrieve their lifeless bodies from the river
At Witpoort, Waterburg District, divers were summoned to Phalala river after three people, two young boys and an adult, drowned on 01 January 2024.. The police working with emergency services personnel managed to retrieve two bodies and had to call the search off after coming across seven hippopotamus and two charging at the search team
This was not the first incident, on 07 February 2024 a 10-year-old boy was allegedly attacked by a crocodile and disappeared under the water in Phalala River. Another 18-year-old boy, who also came under attack while swimming, managed to free himself from the crocodiles and was admitted to a local hospital for medical treatment.
The body of the boy could not be found after a thorough search was conducted which was hindered by 12 big crocodiles approaching the canoes of the Rescue Team. Members managed to ward off these animals with rifles as they were coming close to the canoes to attack the team members.
The search continued up to 16 km in the river but were disturbed by a herd of Hippopotamus. The boy was never found and the parents of the child were informed of the unfavourable conditions.
“Parents and residents are sternly warned not to allow their children to swim or cross Phalala and Limpopo rivers as they are infested with dangerous Crocodiles and Hippopotamus,” concluded the Provincial Commissioner Lieutenant General Hadebe.