Emergency services mounted a rescue operation on 27 October for four boys stranded on the riverbanks at Mqanduli in the Eastern Cape amid severe heavy rains and flooding. The boys, who had reportedly gone fishing, became trapped as rising water levels cut them off from safe access.
Olwethu Mabovula, spokesperson for the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality, described the situation as “very dire” and confirmed that emergency medical services were en route. However, efforts to deploy a helicopter were hindered by low-lying clouds that prevented aerial access.
“The situation that we have now that is very dire of four boys that were apparently going for fishing, but they ended up being trapped in the riverbanks and they are still stuck there as we speak,” Mabovula said during a briefing.
Mayor Mkhanyiseni Dudumayo confirmed that rescue teams were actively working in the river to reach the boys trapped near Mqanduli. The municipality urged residents to avoid crossing flooded rivers and areas, highlighting the ongoing danger from the extreme weather conditions.
The incident forms part of a wider flood crisis affecting the OR Tambo District and surrounding local municipalities, following days of persistent heavy rain. The OR Tambo District Municipality confirmed severe flooding across its area, prompting disaster management teams to assess damages and identify affected households.
Reports from Times Live mention a similar incident involving four pupils trapped in a flooded river at Mpindweni village near Libode, though this is believed to be a separate event linked to the same widespread flooding in the region.
Names and ages of the boys at Mqanduli have not been independently verified, nor has the precise outcome of the rescue operation been officially confirmed. The exact river or specific riverbank location remains unspecified in available sources.
This flooding emergency continues to disrupt communities and presents challenges to rescue operations due to weather and terrain. Authorities are monitoring the situation closely as waters remain swollen and hazardous.
Cape Flats News will continue to follow updates on the Mqanduli rescue and the wider flood impacts across the Eastern Cape.