Search and Rescue Ongoing for Ekurhuleni MMC Andile Mngwevu Missing in Mozambique Floods

• Ekurhuleni MMC Andile Mngwevu is missing after a vehicle was swept away by floods in Mozambique
• Search and rescue operations are ongoing with the assistance of a South African team
• Mngwevu was part of an official delegation to Mozambique when heavy flooding affected the area

Justin Williams, a journalist at Briefly News since 2024, covers South Africa’s current affairs. Before joining Briefly News, he served as a writer and chief editor at Right for Education Africa’s South African chapter.

MOZAMBIQUE - Search efforts are continuing for City of Ekurhuleni MMC for Roads and Transport Andile Mngwevu, who went missing after the vehicle he was travelling in was swept away by floodwaters in Chokwé, Southern Mozambique.

Official delegation to Mozambique

Mngwevu was part of an official delegation to Mozambique when heavy flooding affected the area. The municipality said the vehicle he was travelling in was caught in fast-flowing water and washed away. Mozambican authorities, supported by emergency services, are continuing search and rescue operations. The City of Ekurhuleni said it remains deeply concerned and is in constant contact with officials on the ground.

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Limpopo floods: missing children's toll rises, South Africans reeling

Newzroom Afrika reported on Monday, 19 January 2026, that a South African rescue team has since joined the operation and has established contact with one person who was travelling in the same vehicle as Mngwevu. Department of International Relations and Cooperation head of public diplomacy Clayson Monyela said one occupant managed to escape from the vehicle at the time of the incident. He confirmed that five people had been inside the vehicle and that the whereabouts of the remaining four, including Mngwevu, have not yet been confirmed.

100 Fatalities may be linked to flooding

Monyela said Mngwevu’s wife and family had travelled to Mozambique and that officials from South Africa’s High Commission were providing consular assistance. Mozambique has experienced heavy rainfall in recent weeks linked to seasonal weather systems, resulting in widespread flooding across several provinces. Authorities have warned that swollen rivers and damaged infrastructure have increased the risk of vehicles and homes being swept away, particularly in low-lying areas.

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Ekurhuleni MMC of Transport Andile Mngwevu missing after deadly floods in Mpumalanga

Local officials have reported that dozens of people have died, with indications that more than 100 fatalities may be linked to flooding since late last year. Tens of thousands of residents have been displaced, while homes, roads and bridges have been damaged or destroyed. Authorities have warned that the death toll could rise as assessments continue.

3 More stories about flooding

• Briefly News also reported that an 18-year-old boy has been missing for nearly three weeks while snorkelling in Mozambique. Ongoing search efforts involve aerial, sea, and surface operations with community support.
• A body believed to be that of the missing South African National Defence Force (SANDF) member has been found.
• Two more children were reported missing during the floods, which affected Limpopo, increasing the number of children who went missing. The government declared the floods a national disaster as the death toll increased and the floods continued to cause damage.

Source: Briefly News