Mpumalanga man drowns after alleged illegal fishing trip
The body of a 27-year-old man who drowned while fishing illegally with friends was recovered from the Sekwakwa River by police divers on Friday afternoon.
Police divers managed to recover the body in crocodile-infested waters. Image: Lowvelder
According to Capt Joey Potgieter, George Maniyisa had gone with six friends to fish illegally with nets in the Sekwakwa River last Thursday evening when he drowned, he told Lowvelder.
“His friends were getting out the river when he told them he was in trouble, so one of his friends got back in. He got him to hold onto his belt but he let go and that is when he drowned.”
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She said the community contacted police because the river was full of crocodiles.
“We recovered his body from the river. It was dangerous, as there were a lot of crocodiles but some police members were on the bank of the river ready with their firearms if anything happened.”
She said the police diving unit then went off to Belfast to recover another man’s body from a dam just outside the town.
“He went missing about a month ago. Now the body has floated to the surface of the dam.”
Police spokesman Brig Leonard Hlathi emphasised that during the summer and the rainy season, people should exercise extreme caution around rivers.
“We urge the public to be extremely cautious around rivers, especially where there are crocodiles. Parents should also be vigilant with their children, and old people should not attempt to cross rivers if flooding occurs.”
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