A desperate search is underway for a five-year-old boy who was swept away by raging floodwaters at the Mbaula River outside Giyani as relentless heavy rains continue to wreak havoc across large parts of Limpopo.
The child, Siyanda Baloyi, went missing early on Thursday morning after flash floods overwhelmed his family home in Mbaula village. Police said Siyanda was with his mother when rising waters forced them to flee, but the powerful current swept them away, causing the mother to lose her grip on the child.
According to the South African Police Service (SAPS), the incident occurred at about 06:00 when the house was flooded. The mother managed to survive after she was trapped by a tree and later rescued by members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF). Despite an intensive search, Siyanda could not be located.
SAPS search and rescue teams, supported by the SANDF and Emergency Medical Services, have been navigating fast-flowing rivers and flooded terrain in an effort to locate the missing child. The operation continued throughout the day under dangerous conditions as water levels remained high.
“The search and rescue operations have been intensified by multi-disciplinary teams to try and locate the missing child,” police said in a statement.
The tragedy comes as Limpopo battles one of its worst flooding episodes in recent years. Persistent heavy rains have battered the province since Sunday, with Mopani, Vhembe and Sekhukhune districts recording more than 400mm of rainfall. The downpours have resulted in massive flooding, rising river levels and widespread destruction.
At least 36 houses have been swept away, leaving families homeless, while hundreds more have been displaced across affected areas. Critical infrastructure has also taken a severe knock, compounding the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the province.
Limpopo Premier Dr Phophi Ramathuba said by Thursday, at least 438 roads had been damaged by the floods, with several bridges washed away. She said the scale of the destruction had severely disrupted access to communities and hampered emergency response efforts.
“The heavy rains that battered the province have left hundreds of people displaced,” Ramathuba said, adding that disaster management teams were working to assess damage and support affected residents.
Acting Limpopo provincial police commissioner Major General Jan Scheepers urged communities to cooperate with law enforcement and emergency services as rescue operations continue.
“Our multi-disciplinary teams will continue to navigate dangerous waters to reach and assist residents in distress,” Scheepers said. “It is important that we prioritise safety, especially during these rainy conditions.”
Scheepers warned residents against attempting to cross flooded rivers, streams or bridges, stressing that floodwaters were unpredictable and extremely dangerous.
In a further appeal, SAPS spokesperson Brigadier Hlulani Mashaba said rescue teams were risking their lives to reach stranded residents, entering fast-flowing rivers and submerged streets to ensure no one was left behind.
“These rescue operations involve navigating dangerous waters to assist communities in distress,” Mashaba said. “The floodwaters are extremely hazardous, and the public is urged to prioritise safety at all times.”
Police issued a series of precautionary measures, including keeping children within eyesight, avoiding flooded roads, limiting non-essential movement and warning pedestrians never to walk through moving water. Drivers were urged to exercise extreme caution, drive slowly and maintain safe distances.
Authorities said public cooperation was critical to allow emergency services to focus on rescuing those in immediate danger.
Climate experts have warned that such extreme weather events are no longer isolated incidents but part of a growing pattern linked to climate change, with communities increasingly exposed to severe flooding and infrastructure damage.
Anyone with information that could assist in locating Siyanda Baloyi has been urged to contact Detective Lieutenant Colonel Mbalati JJ on 082 565 6491 or Crime Stop on 08600 10111.
As the search continues, communities across Limpopo remain on high alert, bracing for further rainfall while hoping for a breakthrough in the effort to bring the missing child home.
