In the wake of the Safer Festive Season campaign, the SAPS Gauteng Water Policing and Diving Services have had a formidable effort, recovering 28 bodies from various locations across Gauteng from the beginning of December 2024 until January 19.

Each December members are deployed daily at various locations across Gauteng, including the Vaal Dam and Vaal River while being on standby for any incidents.

Their duties are vehicle patrols, vessel patrols on the water, vessel inspections and checks, resort visits, and removal of illegal items or fishing nets. These duties continued throughout the festive season and into the new year to prevent lawlessness.

According to police spokesperson Warrant Officer Grant Giblin, this festive season was however dominated by rescue, recovery, and diving operations.

“Heavy rains and flooding contributed to members carrying out 10 diving recovery operations, and 17 rescue and recovery operations. Six victims were rescued and sadly 17 bodies were recovered in separate incidents.”

Giblin says these incidents occurred during December at among others the Vaal Dam, Vaal River, Klip River, Spaarwater Dam, Sebokeng, Orange Farm, Tembisa, Atteridgeville, Centurion, Hennops River, Rietspruit, Rooikraal, Klein Jukskei (Douglasdale) and Carletonville.

“Throughout these incidents, members still managed to conduct more than 17 vessel patrols, 193 resort visits, 196 vessel checks, attended to 12 complaints, issue 67 warnings, remove 26 illegal markers, and confiscate hundreds of metres of illegal fishing nets.”

Operations continued throughout January with another 11 bodies recovered and two active scenes being investigated in Tshwane and Johannesburg.

Inquest dockets for these incidents are currently under investigation. Individuals with information or who witnessed incidents are encouraged to contact the relevant SAPS station or Crime Stop number on 08600 10111.