The search for a baby who drowned during a baptism ceremony in the Jukskei River in Alexandra north of Johannesburg last week Saturday is being hampered by numerous challenges.
Search teams are complaining about the widespread contamination of the water.
The search was called off numerous times last week due to high water levels but resumed during the weekend.
Fifteen bodies have been recovered from the river so far.
City of Johannesburg’s MMC for Community Safety, David Tembe, says they are concerned about the conditions in which the search teams are working.
“The challenge is there are a lot of things and that might cause our officers to seek treatment after that. And we can see that the water there is not clean. We have got dead dogs and other people use the river for dumping…But our officers are doing all their best to ensure that the family can get closure.”
In the video below from last week, the search operation continues in the Jukskei River tragedy:
Meanwhile, the City is yet to determine the extent of the damage that the flash floods have caused in Alexandra, Soweto and the West Rand.
Houses and road infrastructure have been badly damaged in some parts.
Mopping-up operations after heavy rains in parts of Gauteng:
