• Rescue teams are searching for two people who were swept away while driving over a flooded bridge over the weekend in Limpopo’s Tswinga village in the Thulamela municipality.

• At least four people have died in the region since the heavy rains started about a week ago.

• Dozens of schools around Tshakhuma and Tswinga villages remain closed because access roads and bridges have been badly damaged by the storm.

A search for a spaza shopkeeper and an unknown passenger is underway in Tswinga village under the Thulamela municipality in the Vhembe District after they were swept away at the weekend while trying to cross a swollen river during heavy rainfall.

At least four people have died in the region, but the state is yet to confirm the official toll.

This week a group of learners gathered around the river as other residents helped rescuers search for Ali Noor, a Somalian national, and an unknown passenger were swept away on Saturday, 17 January. Noor’s friends say the pair were crossing the bridge in a bakkie to buy stock when floodwater swept the vehicle away.

A grade 11 learner from Muvhavha Secondary, Andzani Ngonyama, said they have to cross the flooded bridge to get to school. “We are hoping the rain stops because we might fall behind with our lessons,” he said. “We are appealing to the government to build a new bridge, improve gravel roads, and help us because some learners have no food at home. The river is not safe and there are also crocodiles.”

Limpopo police spokesperson Hlulani Mashaba confirmed that a search team composed of SAPS Search and Rescue, Emergency Medical Services, and the K9 units had been activated. “The search operation is ongoing,” he said.

Provincial Police Commissioner Thembi Hadebe urged community members and drivers not to cross overflowing rivers, streams and bridges.

Residents who live on the other side of the flooded bridge say it’s too dangerous to cross to get to work, school and the shops to buy food.

Many families we spoke to say they have not been able to cook, send their children to school, or go to work since the rains started about a week ago. Residents of Tshakhuma and Tswinga villages were hardest hit by the floods. Residents say they had to skip meals or rely on neighbour’s good will for canned food items for days.

In Thulamela, ten bridges, 121 roads, and 374 houses were affected. People say they lost important documents like IDs and birth certificates in flooded homes. Some families were forced to move in with relatives and neighbours because their homes are now inhabitable.

Rivers remain dangerous to cross and where footbridges have been washed away, parents say they prefer to keep their children at home.

“It’s tough because all my children’s uniforms are wet. We had to sleep at one of our neighbours’ houses. We also don’t have food at the moment,” said Vhulahani Netshivhodza, a mother of seven from Tshakhuma.

Vhulahani Netshivhodza comforts a neighbour in Tshakhuma village after her dilapidated four-room shack was damaged by the floods.

Nditsheni Mathiza, who runs a car repair business, said, “Now there is no work, and the workers cannot go to work.” Mathiza, who has lived in the village for more than 20 years, said it was the first time he has experienced flooding like this in his village.

Thulamela Municipality has started distributing food parcels to affected families. “We are running out of food parcels,” said municipal spokesperson Ndwamato Tshiila. “Gift of the Givers has promised more, and we are expecting support from partners, including local business people.”

Mike Maringa, spokesperson for the Limpopo Department of Education, said 378 of 550 schools in Vhembe East were open, while 172 were closed by damaged access roads. In Vhembe West, 164 of 413 schools remained closed. He said meal deliveries and learner transport have been halted until roads are repaired or are safe for transport.

Published originally on GroundUp .