Pretoria – A family of three had a lucky escape when their SUV washed off a low-water bridge in End Street, Centurion.
The incident happened at about 5.45pm on Monday.
Tshwane Emergency Services spokesperson Thabo Charles Mabaso said his department received a report saying that a family of three narrowly escaped drowning when the SUV they were in was washed off a low-water bridge.
“The occupants could not be found at the scene or inside the vehicle. It was assumed they had been swept away by the river until police made contact after identifying the registered owner of the vehicle,” he said.
“The owner confirmed that he and his teenage boy and girl managed to swim to safety after the vehicle was washed off the bridge into the river.”
Mabaso said a member of the public alleged that the driver of the SUV drove around the barricades used to close the road before it was washed away.
He said this was second incident in the same area in two days.
“An Isuzu bakkie, which has still not been recovered from the Hennops River, was washed away on Saturday, February 11, 2023.”
Mabaso said the department would also resume the search for five people who were reportedly swept away at a stream in Olievenhoutbosch on Saturday.
“Our repeated calls on motorists to desist from crossing flooded low-water bridges and ignoring barriers used to close roads during flooding seem to fall on deaf ears, because we still see vehicles being washed away in regular spots.”
IOL