The remains of Ekurhuleni’s MMC for Roads and Transport, Andile Mngwevu, have been found in Mozambique after he went missing during severe flooding in mid-January.
Mngwevu and three other people disappeared when the vehicle they were travelling in was swept away by floodwaters in Chokwe Village, in Mozambique. Their remains have now been discovered inside the same vehicle.
According to early information, the car was found after search teams focused on areas badly hit by flooding in and around Chokwe. The vehicle was recovered with the remains of all four occupants still inside.
Mngwevu and his companions had been missing since parts of Mozambique experienced severe floods in mid-January. Heavy rains triggered dangerous river levels and flash floods in several districts, cutting off roads, damaging bridges and sweeping away vehicles in low-lying villages.
The leadership of the ANC in Ekurhuleni are currently briefing the Mngwevu family following confirmation that his remains have been positively identified. Formal announcements from the City of Ekurhuleni and the party are expected once the family has been fully informed and all official processes are under way.
As Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Roads and Transport, Mngwevu played a key role in overseeing road infrastructure, traffic management and public transport systems in the metro. His death comes at a time when both South Africa and neighbouring countries are battling the impact of extreme weather on already fragile transport networks.
The discovery of the vehicle and remains in Chokwe follows weeks of uncertainty and anxiety for the families of the four missing people. After the floods struck, local authorities and emergency teams in Mozambique were called in to assist with search and recovery operations along riverbanks and damaged roads. The area where the car was eventually found had been one of the hardest hit by the mid-January deluge.
Regional experts have been warning for years that southern Africa is becoming more vulnerable to climate-related disasters such as floods and cyclones. Mozambique in particular has suffered repeated deadly flooding events over the last decade, often linked to intense rainfall systems and tropical storms that make landfall along the coast and push inland.
Although full official reports on the Chokwe incident are still being compiled, the circumstances point once again to the danger of travelling during or after severe rainfall in flood-prone rural areas. Roads in parts of Mozambique are known to be at risk of sudden washaways when rivers burst their banks, and unlit or poorly marked crossings can become deadly in fast-rising waters.
For Ekurhuleni, Mngwevu’s death raises practical and political questions about the vacancy in the Roads and Transport portfolio, which is central to service delivery in the metro. The city has been under pressure to improve road maintenance, deal with potholes and upgrade key transport routes used daily by workers and commuters.
The process of repatriating the remains from Mozambique to South Africa is expected to involve cooperation between Mozambican authorities, South African consular officials and the City of Ekurhuleni. This usually includes formal identification, post-mortem procedures where required, and clearance for cross-border transport of the deceased.
Details about funeral arrangements, memorial services and official tributes will be released once the family and the city have finalised plans. For now, the focus is on supporting the Mngwevu family and the families of the three other victims, who have endured weeks of not knowing what happened to their loved ones.
The discovery in Chokwe closes one painful chapter by confirming what many had feared after the vehicle was first reported to have been swept away. But it also highlights again how vulnerable travellers are when floods strike – and the need for stronger early warning systems, better road planning in flood plains, and clear public advice about avoiding low-lying routes during extreme weather.
While the leadership of the ANC in Ekurhuleni continues to brief the family in private, the city and broader community are preparing to come to terms with the loss of a senior councillor whose work was tied directly to the roads on which so many lives depend.
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