Two missing siblings found dead after vehicle swept into Hennops River
Authorities say a brother and sister reported missing earlier this week were found inside a vehicle swept into the Hennops River during heavy rainfall.
Police have confirmed that the brother and sister who went missing on December 21 after visiting friends in Centurion have been found dead.
Gontse Matjila (21) and her brother, Galaletsang Mokone (23), were last located on Rabie Street, near the highway, where the Hennops River flows.
Provincial police spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Mavela Masondo said the search for the car in which the pair had been travelling in, ended after the vehicle was found submerged in the Hennops River near End and Rabie streets.
He explained that the car appears to have been swept off a low-water bridge into the Hennops River in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“The incident is believed to have occurred around 05:40 on Sunday morning. The vehicle’s tracking device stopped working in the area, and both the SAPS Water Policing and Diving Services (WPDS) and emergency services were alerted later on Sunday evening to the possible location of the car,” he said.
According to Masondo, a full-scale search was launched early on Monday, December 22, from the suspected point of entry at the low-water bridge, moving downstream along the Hennops River.
He said search teams, assisted by a SAPS helicopter, were unable to locate the vehicle on Monday due to raging waters, prompting the operation to continue on Tuesday morning.
Masondo said several role players, including WPDS, Search and Rescue South Africa, Gauteng Emergency Medical Services, and the Fire Brigade, were part of the renewed search.
“Teams operating in the water eventually located the vehicle about 400 metres from the point of entry. The car was still submerged under approximately one metre of water and had to be secured using high-angle rope work before being pulled closer to the riverbank with winches.”
Image: CERT-SA
He stated that it was then discovered that both victims’ bodies were still inside the vehicle.
CERT-SA spokesperson Ruan Heynes said the emergency team’s Centurion crew assisted in the joint operation involving multiple emergency and law enforcement agencies to locate the missing pair.
Heynes conveyed condolences to the family, saying the team’s thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the deceased during this profoundly difficult time.
Image: CERT-SA
Tshwane Emergency Services Department deputy chief Nana Radebe-Kgiba, who was also at the scene as part of the search and rescue operation, urged motorists to exercise extreme caution during heavy rainfall.
She warned that flooded roads and low-lying bridges are particularly dangerous, as water levels can rise rapidly and pose serious risks.
Radebe-Kgiba also reminded residents to heed weather warnings and safety advisories issued by authorities.
“We call on residents to be vigilant and to immediately report any fire or rescue incident by calling 107 toll-free or calling 012 358 6300/6400.”
The recovery of the vehicle brings a tragic close to a search that began earlier this week.
Image: CERT-SA
On Monday, Masondo told Rekord that the siblings had been visiting friends in Centurion on Saturday night and lost contact with their family in the early hours of Sunday morning.
“The siblings’ mother last spoke to her daughter during a video call around 03:00 on Sunday,” he said at the time.
He added that it was believed the pair left Centurion at around 05:00 to return to their home in Ninapark, Pretoria North.
“The tracker signal shows the last known location at Rabie Street, close to the highway where the Hennops River flows.”
He confirmed that the mother reported the siblings missing at 15:47 on Sunday at the Pretoria North police station.
Masondo said a missing persons case was opened and later transferred to the Lyttelton police station for further investigation.
“Police began investigating the circumstances surrounding their disappearance and requested assistance from specialised SAPS units, including the Water Wing and the Air Wing.”
The recovery of the vehicle and the confirmation of the siblings’ deaths brings a tragic conclusion to what began as a desperate search by family, police and emergency services.
ALSO READ: Police intensify search for siblings last seen near the Hennops river in Centurion
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