The car the soldiers were travelling in was swept by heavy flowing water.
Police in the Capricorn District are investigating an inquest case after the discovery of the body of a 36-year-old female member attached to the South African National Defence Force(SANDF) in a river stream in the City of Polokwane.
The grim discovery was made on New Year’s Day, 1 January 2026, at about 11am.
Car swept away
Police spokesperson Colonel Malesela Ledwaba said they are investigating the incident.
“The report received by the police is that this morning at around 04:00, the deceased, together with two other occupants of the car (Renault Triber), were swept by heavy flowing water after the car got stuck under the bridge along Grobler Street.
“It is further reported that the other two occupants, including the driver, managed to grab reeds and exit the river, but the deceased unfortunately did not survive the catastrophic incident. The search was conducted by the divers, and the body was found about 2,5 kilometers from the initial scene and retrieved from the river,” Ledwaba said.
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Overflowing rivers
Ledwaba said the circumstances surrounding the incident is still under investigation.
“The Provincial Commissioner of Police in Limpopo, Lieutenant General Thembi Hadebe, has once more warned communities and reminded them about the potential danger of overflowing rivers and streams due to floods during this rainy season.”
Missing SANDF soldiers
Meanwhile, police have ended the Komatipoort, Mpumalanga, search after the human remains believed to be the second missing SANDF soldier were recovered near the Mozambique border.
Authorities are awaiting DNA test results following the disappearance of two SANDF soldiers who floodwaters swept away on Christmas Day while they conducted border patrols near the Macadamia military base.
The soldiers were attempting to cross a submerged, low-lying bridge when strong currents from heavy rainfall swept their vehicle away.
Search teams recovered one soldier’s body on 26 December and made the latest discovery on 29 December.
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