The provincial police commissioner of Limpopo, Lt-Gen Thembi Hadebe, has appealed to the public for assistance in locating the body of a five-year-old boy who was swept away during recent floods in the province.
Hadebe made the plea when she presented the crime statistics for the third quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year, covering October to December 2025.
She asked for anyone who knows anything to help the family get closure.
“We have done everything in our power to search for his body with the assistance of aerial support, but have not successfully located his body,” said Hadebe.
“We call upon anyone who can assist us to locate his body or any new development to this effect to contact us so that the family can find closure.”
The boy, identified as Siyanda Baloyi from Mbaula, is the only victim still missing from the devastating floods that hit Limpopo in January 2026.
“We are only left with one body of a five-year-old, Siyanda Baloyi from Mbaula, who was swept away by the raging waters,” said Hadebe.
The floods have severely affected areas in Mopani and Vhembe Districts, resulting in the loss of 13 lives and the displacement of many families.
“Our search-and-rescue teams working alongside disaster management teams from the provincial government, municipalities and private partners, including the SANDF, successfully managed to rescue 66 individuals from the floodwaters,” said Hadebe.
She commended the support from other provinces.
“I must also commend the search and rescue teams from Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Free State who assisted us in navigating dangerous waters to reach and help residents in distress. This collaborative spirit demonstrates that we can achieve more when we work together,” she said.
Beyond the emergency response, Hadebe said the police and provincial government had taken steps to support communities affected by the floods.
“In collaboration with the MEC for transport and community safety, Ms Violet Mathye, and with the support of a good Samaritan, we donated school uniforms to learners at Nyiko Primary School and Masiza High School in Mbaula village, understanding that some children lost their uniforms during the floods,” said Hadebe.
She highlighted the critical role of community involvement in disaster response.
“We believe that education is the foundation of safer communities and remain committed to ensuring that no child is left behind, even in the face of disaster. In addition, we distributed food parcels to families affected by floods in Bellevue village,” she said.
TimesLIVE
Modiegi Mashamaite
www.timeslive.co.za
