Eight people narrowly escape after bakkie is swept away at Komatipoort Bridge
Residents and motorists are advised to avoid walking or driving on low-lying bridges that are overflowing.
The Mpumalanga Search and Rescue Team responded to a traumatic incident at the Komatipoort low-lying bridge on Saturday, December 3, after a bakkie carrying eight people was swept away by the flooded Nkomazi River.
The incident occurred at the same low-lying bridge where a tragic search operation recently took place for two South African National Defence Force (SANDF) soldiers who were swept away on Christmas Day.
READ ALSO: New Year’s floods claim three lives in Mpumalanga; one person still missing
According to reports, a bakkie attempted to cross the submerged bridge when the powerful current overwhelmed the vehicle, pulling it into the river.
When the SAPS Diving Unit and rescue teams arrived at the scene, they found the vehicle partially submerged and trapped by the water. However, a search of the vehicle revealed it was empty. It was later confirmed that all eight occupants had managed to escape from the vehicle on their own and reach safety before the current could pull them further downstream.
READ ALSO: WATCH: Search operation for missing SANDF member concludes in Komatipoort
While the passengers are safe, the vehicle remains trapped in the river, serving as a stark reminder of the bridge’s danger during the current rainy season.
The police have urged the public to respect road closures and avoid low-lying bridges entirely during heavy rains.
The river is currently raging and inhabited by dangerous wildlife, including crocodiles and hippos. Attempting to cross these bridges is not only a risk to your life but also to the lives of the rescue teams who must respond.
Residents are reminded that even heavy vehicles like bakkies and military trucks are not immune to the force of the Nkomazi River when it is in flood.
Komatipoort, Mpumalanga: another vehicle was swept away in a river…same area where two soldiers went missing when their vehicle was swept away last week.
The eight occupants made it safely to the rocks. pic.twitter.com/IDenp2iNRv
— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) January 4, 2026
*This article was amended after publishing
