The Sunday Mail
Beitbridge Bureau
A search party for two men believed to have drowned in the Makhakavhule area of Beitbridge when their inflatable boat capsized in uMzingwane River early yesterday continued late into the night.
Two people managed to swim to the banks of the river after the mishap.
Eyewitnesses said the four men had been promised 800 rand reward by a woman who wanted them to rescue her cow which was drowning in the flooded river.
“The now-deceased, along with the two survivors, were reportedly coming from a village party known as a stokvel when they heard about the reward.
‘‘They were visibly drunk. They then entered into an inflatable boat intending to rescue the cow. Unfortunately, the boat capsized soon after they got into the violent tide,” the eyewitness said, adding that it was highly likely that the missing duo had drowned.
A report was made to the police, who joined the villagers in the search party.
The witnesses said the cow later managed to swim across the river.
Police officer commanding Beitbridge District, Chief Superintendent Tichaona Nyongo, said the search for the missing pair was still on.
“Our team is still on the ground searching for the two men and we can only give you more details at a later stage,” he said.
Another man who was stranded in an island along the same river in Zezani area managed to swim across the river when water levels subsided on Saturday morning.
The man spent the whole of Friday marooned.
