eThekwini Mayor Cyril Xaba joined the search for a missing Lamontville woman who was washed away during heavy rains last month again on Saturday morning.
Zondeni Gcabashe, 60, went missing after her informal home, located along a river canal, started filling with flood water on February 25.
According to reports, Gcabashe and other residents were washed away while trying to escape by holding onto poles as they were trapped between the canal and rapidly flowing water on the street.
The mayor joined the search efforts after Gcabashe’s family reached out for help in locating the body in an effort to find closure.
The city said during these floods, five people were reported missing in Lamontville and four were recovered.
The search party included members of the Metro Police Search and Rescue, the SAPS Canine Dog Unit, and officials from the city’s disaster management team.
On Friday, after the unsuccessful three-and-a-half-hour search, Xaba thanked the search and rescue team for the commitment they have shown in finding the missing body since the floods occurred.
“The team has worked beyond the call of duty as they came to the area for the fourth time today (Friday) to assist the family to find closure. We remain optimistic that at some point, the body will be found,” said Xaba.
Today, on the fifth day of the search, the mayor arrived around 10am with the search party.
Xaba said in their quest for closure, the Gcabashe family consulted a sangoma regarding the whereabouts of Zondeni.
“All indications that they get from these sangomas are that the body is still kept in the canal here. Our search and rescue team has been to the spot that they showed us. They came back and said that it doesn't look like there's any sign that the body is here. I've just addressed the family now to say that we are not giving up. With prayer, God will help them find closure,” said the mayor.
In addition, he said the municipality is grateful that the national government has declared a state of disaster.
“They have set aside R3.1 billion. So I hope that we can start to deal with the damaged infrastructure and resettle people who have been displaced,” he said.
