By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Johannesburg’s search and rescue team has concluded their mission after recovering the body of a 21-year-old male who drowned in Kliprivier on Friday morning.
The two young people had been swept away by the river last weekend.
On Wednesday, the emergency services recovered the body of 18-year-old Ayaphiwe Ndothi.
Ndothi and a 21-year-old man were conducting a cleansing ritual on Saturday morning when they were washed away.
The City of Johannesburg Aquatic Rescue Unit, together with police divers, have been searching since Saturday afternoon to recover the bodies.
Johannesburg emergency services spokesperson Xolile Khumalo has urged traditonal healers to practise caution when doing rituals in rivers.
“A body of a male has been recovered a few kilometers away from where the female body was recovered two days ago. We are waiting for the body to be identified. EMS continues to urge the community of Johannesburg, traditional healer to practise caution when doing their rituals and ceremonies at the rivers.”
This latest incident comes a week after search and rescue teams recovered the body of an unidentified teenage boy from the Klipspruit stream. The 18-year-old was swept away last Tuesday after he apparently tried to cross the stream from Klipspruit West to Kliptown, EMS said at the time.