Frantic search for church members swept away in shallows of Jukskei River during a church ritual

Alexandra church congregants were overpowered in a flash flood in the shallows of the Jukskei River, and 15 of them were swept away. Picture: City of Joburg EMS.

Alexandra church congregants were overpowered in a flash flood in the shallows of the Jukskei River, and 15 of them were swept away. Picture: City of Joburg EMS.

Published Dec 4, 2022

Share

Johannesburg – The search is on for 15 people who were swept away in what is suspected to be a church baptism or ritual along the Jukskei River on Saturday afternoon.

The City of Joburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) launched a search & rescue operation on Saturday afternoon for 15 people believed to have been swept away along the Jukskei River while conducting a church ritual or baptism.

“Last night (Saturday), people were conducting a church ritual or baptism when a storm came through and in the process (swept) about two people away and one person was rescued and received medical care and was transported to a medical facility,” EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi told Newzroom Afrika.

Mulaudzi added that the two were confirmed dead.

— Cojems Spokesperson (@RobertMulaudzi) December 4, 2022

“It is believed there were about 33 congregants and some could have left when the storm was progressing. There are about 15 people unaccounted for ... we started conducting a search last night up until around 10 in the evening,” Mulaudzi said.

He said the search was halted because of poor visibility and rain. The search resumed on Sunday morning with the assistance of he SAPS, City of Joburg Department of Public Safety, Vision Tactical and SA Sea Rescue, among other units.

“We went through the Jukskei River, which cut across most parts of Bramley Park towards Alexandra. We don't know where the stream is going to take us. But we are hoping that we'll be able to cover most of the ground,” Mulaudzi said.

He added that the EMS hoped to get in touch with the local church pastor to help trace the congregants.

Mulaudzi said there was hope of finding the 15 missing alive in terms of the time frame.

“Most importantly for us is assisting the families who might be affected to find closure, and cautioning all our congregants out there since there's a lot of church rituals and baptism which might be conducted in this area,” the spokesperson said.

Mulaudzi urged people to exercise caution and they put in place safety measures.

“They can put a rope along the people who are being baptised to prevent incidents like this, as we know that during the summer, we might be responding to a number of incidents like this one,” he said.

The Star