Tragic Drowning: Recovery of 18-Year-Old's Body in Klipvalley River, Soweto

In Soweto, Johannesburg Emergency Services made a tragic recovery of an 18-year-old boy who drowned in the Klipvalley River. Reports indicate that the young man slipped into the swollen stream after heavy rains and hail on Monday.

Despite the intense efforts of the search and rescue operation, safety concerns led to its suspension on Tuesday night. Community members gathered anxiously along the stream as emergency services personnel retrieved the teenager's body from the river.

The poignant scene of the teenager being placed in a body bag evoked raw emotions, with a resident from Kliptown visibly moved to tears.

Robert Mulaudzi, spokesperson for Joburg EMS, highlighted the frequent practice of community members crossing the river as a means of travel between areas. He mentioned, "If you look across the river streams, it looks like a rock that actually allows people to cross. So he was crossing."

The recovered body has been handed over to the police for further investigation into this heartbreaking incident.

source: Eyewitness News