As the huge search continues for a motorist swept off the road and into the Jukskei River in Joburg’s Sunninghill on Friday evening, the 40-member search team has still had no luck.
“It’s just another horrible day of waiting,” said Nokuthula Moyo, sister of the missing woman.
Nomsa Zulu, 30, was on her way home to Cosmo City after knocking off work at The World of Golf in Woodmead. She was at the intersection of Rivonia and Witkoppen roads when a flash flood hit and caused a powerful wave to wash her car over the roadside bollards and into the river flowing under the bridge.
The matter was reported to the police by witnesses and a large search-and-rescue team was pulled together. Divers, sniffer dogs, police officers, a helicopter and other experts were part of the mission.
On Saturday afternoon Zulu’s badly damaged car was found in the river, but there was no sign of her.
The Sunninghill community pulled together and have been supporting the rescue workers — making sure they have water and food.
Emergency Management Services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo told TimesLIVE Premium that by Sunday morning, after Zulu had been missing well over 24 hours, the rescue mission was changed to a retrieval mission.
The team has been out searching consistently — from the point of the accident all along the river. Khumalo said by Tuesday the search had progressed from Steyn City and Riversands up towards Monaghan Farm.
On Wednesday, she said, the EMS search and rescue unit began their search and recovery operation at 8am, spending another six hours searching the Jukskei River in the Steyn City area.
“After they finished there, they went to Lanseria to continue the search,” she said.
Zulu lived with her husband and sister who have been asked to stay away from the search efforts. The wait is agonising as they remain desperate for news of her recovery.
“It's so painful,” Moyo said.
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