Johannesburg – The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) will resume the search on Sunday morning for a female motorist feared to have been swept away in flash floods in the Rivonia area.
The missing woman has been named on social media by concerned colleagues as 30-year-old Nomsa Zulu.
“Please may I ask all my clients to keep eyes and ears peeled. There is still hope that she is ALIVE. AMEN,” Jessica Geerdes said in a Facebook post on Saturday night with the picture of the missing female.
Gerhard Potgieter, NSRI Gauteng station commander, said: “NSRI are appealing to motorists and pedestrians not to attempt to proceed through flooded roadways and not to attempt to cross over bridges affected by swollen or flooded riverways”.
Potgieter said on 12 January, at 20:05 the NSRI Gauteng duty crew was activated to assist in a search, commenced by Police and the emergency services, for a female missing in Rivonia.
“It appears that while a female was driving on Rivonia Road, near to Witkoppen Road, the vehicle she was travelling in was swept into The Sand River in flash floods,” Potgieter said.
“The vehicle had been located, but the sole occupant of the vehicle was missing and suspected to have been swept down river in the flash floods.”
NSRI Gauteng crew joined the SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue, SARZA Search and Rescue, and GEMS (Gauteng Emergency Medical Services) on the scene.
No signs of the female were located despite an extensive search.
On Saturday morning, at 07:00, NSRI Gauteng crew, SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue, SARZA Search and Rescue, GEMS (Gauteng Emergency Medical Services), and City of Johannesburg Fire and Rescue Services continued in an ongoing search in and along the banks of the Sand River.
“After further flash floods were forecast the extensive search was suspended at around 15:00 and the ongoing search will resume on Sunday,” Potgieter said.
“Thoughts are with the family of the missing female in this difficult time.”
