The body of 38-year-old Mthokozisi Qwabe, who drowned at Inanda Dam on Wednesday, 28 January, was recovered by authorities on Friday.
Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) spokesperson, Prem Balram, explained that the tragedy occurred while Qwabe was fishing with a friend. The pair had decided to swim to escape the extreme heat. “The friend stated that the deceased was unable to swim and began struggling shortly after entering the water. An attempt was made to assist him; however, he submerged before help could reach him. The friend searched the area but was unable to locate Qwabe,” Balram said.
Residents contacted Rusa at 9.30pm on Wednesday to request an aerial search. However, the aircraft could not be deployed due to poor visibility, low light conditions, and the absence of a pilot at that hour.
On Thursday, 29 January, reaction officers returned to the scene to find South African Police Service (SAPS) K9 Search and Rescue officers already in attendance. Throughout the day, police divers and SAPS members conducted extensive search operations, but the body remained missing.
Search teams and paramedics returned to the dam on Friday morning following a report from a member of the public regarding a possible sighting in the water. Although the caller could not confirm exactly what they had seen, Rusa deployed a drone to conduct a low-level aerial search of the area.
Balram confirmed the recovery: “Minutes into the flight, the drone pilot confirmed that the sighting was that of a male body floating in the water towards the river bank on the opposite side of the dam. The body was mostly submerged. Reaction officers entered the water and successfully retrieved the body, which was positively identified as that of Mthokozisi Qwabe.”
