Ekurhuleni councillor missing in Mozambique amid catastrophic flooding crisis

The City of Ekurhuleni’s mayoral committee member for roads and transport management, Andile Mngwevu, is missing after the vehicle he was travelling in was swept away by floodwaters in Mozambique.

In a press release on Sunday, 18 January, the municipality confirmed that Mngwevu had travelled to Chokwé in Mozambique, which has been flooded after heavy rains. A South African rescue mission deployed to Mozambique has established contact with one of the five individuals who was travelling in the vehicle with Mngwevu when it was swept away.

“⁠The status and whereabouts of MMC Mngwevu and the other occupants remain unconfirmed at this stage,” said the City of Ekurhuleni.

“The South African mission is actively engaging local Mozambican authorities and emergency services in the affected area.”

South Africa’s national government has stepped in, coordinating with the office of the executive mayor in Ekurhuleni to provide support to Mngwevu’s wife, who travelled to Mozambique on Saturday, 17 January. Authorities are exploring additional support mechanisms, including security and evacuation assistance, according to the municipality.

“Search and verification efforts are ongoing, and the city remains in close contact with the Department of International Relations and Cooperation and other relevant national structures,” said the City of Ekurhuleni.

Daily Maverick asked the municipality about the purpose of Mngwevu’s visit to Mozambique and progress in ongoing rescue efforts, but had not received a response at the time of publishing.

The Mozambican government reportedly declared a “red alert” throughout the country on Friday, 16 January, due to the catastrophic flooding caused by torrential rains. The Agência de Informação de Moçambique reported that 103 people had died so far in the 2025/26 rainy season, with more than 673,000 people affected, 1,160 houses destroyed and a further 4,000 homes damaged.

Limpopo and Mpumalanga floods

Over the past seven days, parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga have been battered by incessant rain as the storm that started over Mozambique travelled into the border provinces, causing flooding that has submerged entire villages and damaged roads, bridges and critical infrastructure.

On Sunday, Thilivhali Muavha, the Limpopo premier’s spokesperson, said the official death toll in the province stood at 11. He noted that there had been reports of people being swept away by floodwaters on Saturday, but that the police had yet to confirm whether these incidents resulted in fatalities.

Muavha said that while the waters had subsided in many areas, the province was still urging caution around affected waterways.

“In terms of the rescue teams, they are waiting on the peripheries where there has been a lot of flooding... They are trying their best because they are stationed around the areas that were most dangerous... So far, things are getting better; we don’t have more problems, unless the rain comes back again,” he said.

The South African Weather Service issued Orange Level 9 and Orange Level 6 warnings of disruptive rain spanning the eastern parts of Limpopo and Mpumalanga on Sunday, predicting further heavy downpours that could affect roads, settlements and low-lying areas. Yellow Level 2 warnings for disruptive rain and thunderstorms were issued for other parts of the two regions.

Vusi Chauke, community leader and president of the Giyani Business Chapter in the Mopani District Municipality’s town of Giyani, said that the rain stopped on Sunday, allowing floodwaters to subside in some areas. Damages were still being assessed by residents, with the biggest problem being the destruction of roads and bridges in Mopani and neighbouring municipalities.

“Some [roads] are not driveable because the damage is really bad... The whole of Mopani [municipality] has been affected,” said Chauke.

“Shops are closed here in Giyani. People can’t access certain shops because workers can’t get into them. The roads have been cut off, so it means even people buying food, getting essentials, becomes a nightmare.

“Now, it’s all hands on deck, giving a helping hand where we can as the community, and protecting each other from this and giving support,” he said.

Restoring damaged roads and infrastructure would require “intensive intervention” from all levels of government, as well as local chiefs and community members, he said.

“We need a helping hand so that we can reach those who are unreachable, and give support to those who are in need.”

Many people in the community had lost their homes, said Chauke. Some people had built their houses along floodlines without realising it, as the last period of intensive flooding in the area happened more than 20 years ago. Those from Giyani and the surrounding communities who had to evacuate their homes were being accommodated at the Giyani Stadium.

The water supply in the area was severely restricted, as the local treatment plant was struggling to purify water contaminated during the floods. Chauke called for government assistance to provide water and food to those in need.

“How we’re going to do that, I don’t know... Without the roads, it becomes another challenge. But we’re sitting down with the municipality ... later today to see how we can assist those who are in need and those who are ... isolated,” he said.

“It’s difficult to be in this moment, but as a community, you stick together... These things affect everyone... [The Giyani Business Chapter] has started a drive to collect donations, food, clothes, anything for those who are affected, so that we can start ... to assist where we can.”

Long road to recovery

At a press briefing on Friday, 16 January, Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba described the recent rains as “unprecedented in their intensity”, with up to 400mm falling in just a few days.

“The devastation inflicted upon our communities, our infrastructure and tragically, the loss of lives, can never be overstated. This calamity began swelling above our heads just weeks ago, tracing back to December 2025, in the Waterberg and Capricorn districts, and escalated dramatically with the heavy rains last week, affecting Vhembe, Mopani and parts of Sekhukhune district,” said Ramathuba.

As of Friday, Ramathuba said the floods had claimed nine lives since December, including a five-year-old from Mbaula Village, Siyanda Boloyi, who was initially reported missing early on Thursday, 15 January.

Read more in Daily Maverick: ‘We Are Trapped’: Floodwaters swallow villages as flooding, heavy rain batter Limpopo

It is estimated that more than R4-billion will be required to cover the restoration of damaged infrastructure. Ramathuba emphasised that this was a provisional figure as some areas had yet to be assessed due to access challenges.

The province has identified 439 roads totalling about 600km that will require urgent restoration once the flooding subsides. The sheer scale of damage to the road network would require all levels of government to work together towards restoration, said Ramathuba, as the need exceeded the the capacity of Limpopo’s provincial emergency fund.

The South African National Defence Force has been asked to assist with the temporary restoration of access roads.

More than 1,600 homes had been damaged in the floods, with many washed away entirely, said Ramathuba. As of 6 January, the province had documented 31 damaged schools, with the figure expected to rise.

The reopening of about 1,400 schools has been delayed in affected areas.

Access to health facilities had been hindered due to flooded roads and bridges, particularly in the Vhembe district. In Mopani District Municipality, seven hospitals and 19 clinics suffered infrastructure damage. Ramathuba estimated that R7-million would be needed to restore health facilities in the province.

Food parcels

The South African Social Security Agency had provided food parcels to qualifying victims, said Ramathuba. Municipalities were providing emergency shelters, blankets and mattresses to displaced locals.

The Limpopo Provincial Treasury was coordinating with relevant municipalities and had initiated calculations to assess the financial cost of the disaster, she said.

Ramathuba’s address came after President Cyril Ramaphosa visited flood-stricken parts of Limpopo on Friday. Ramaphosa spoke to the media during his visit to the area of the Mopani district where five-year-old Baloyi lost his life and 36 homes were swept away.

“This saddens us because a loss of life is always something that is really devastating, and should be devastating to all of us,” he said.

Ramaphosa praised community members, as well as members of the South African National Defence Force who had saved lives during the crisis.

Kruger National Park

South African National Parks (SANParks) spokesperson JP Louw on Sunday said that weather conditions in Limpopo and Mpumalanga, including areas in the Kruger National Park, had improved significantly. He noted that day visitation at the park would resume from Monday, 19 January.

“Guests entering the park are advised to exercise caution and are strongly requested not to venture onto gravel roads, as some sections may still be affected by recent rainfall,” said Louw.

“The northern part of the Kruger National Park remains inaccessible at this stage, as several roads and bridges have been washed away. These areas will remain closed until it is safe to reopen them.”

While entry to the southern section of the park would be permitted through Paul Kruger Gate, Numbi Gate, Malelane Gate and Phabeni Gate, Louw said that the Phabeni Gate was being closely monitored due to fluctuating water levels in the nearby stream and could be closed at short notice if conditions changed. DM