The bodies of two eThekwini municipal workers, whose car was swept off a bridge by heavy rains on Sunday, have been found in the uMdloti River yesterday.

Solomon Shandu (52) and Simphiwe Cele (56) were returning home from a funeral in Harrismith on Sunday when they disappeared. On Monday, their vehicle was spotted in a river near Osindisweni.

“When search and rescue teams went into the water to investigate, there were no occupants inside,” explains eThekwini municipal spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela.

“The team then resolved to search around the vehicle. However, due to a strong water current that was posing a threat to the lives of the divers, the search operation had to be aborted.

“The following day, the teams then embarked on an aerial search with no success. Yesterday, their efforts yielded positive but sad results,” he says.

eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda thanked the search and rescue teams for their determination and for not giving up on the search. He also passed his deepest condolences to the families.