Four dead, two still missing after taxi plunges into KZN river

The death toll from a tragedy in Weenen, which saw a minibus taxi and some of its occupants swept away in a raging KwaZulu-Natal river, has increased to four.

This after a second body was recovered on Monday. Two women still remain unaccounted for.

The provincial department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs (Cogta) initially said one women had drowned on Saturday, while three were missing.

In an update on Monday, Cogta said a second body had been recovered.

“The bodies that have been recovered are those of Sazi Chonco and Zama Ziqubu. The disaster management teams are still trying to locate the two people who are still missing — Nompilo Ziqubu and Nomonde Mkhize.”

According to reports, the taxi the passengers were travelling in attempted to cross a flooded bridge while travelling from Weenen town to Phefeni (in the Mngwenya area) in ward 21 of the Inkosi Langalibalele local municipality.

Footage of the stranded taxi in the middle of the raging river surfaced on social media on Sunday. In the video bystanders look on hopelessly at the vehicle as the current pushes ahead.

KZN Cogta MEC Sipho Hlomuka sent condolences to the affected families.

Hlomuka has appealed to residents to exercise extreme caution and avoid crossing flooded walkways or bridges.

TimesLIVE