Publications
- The family of a 3-month-old baby, who was swept away in the Jukskei River, is hopeful she will be found.
- Snenhlanhla Renqe was with her mother, grandmother, and three-year-old brother at a baptism ceremony when the incident happened.
- Johannesburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said the search and rescue team would resume the search for Snenhlanhla on Thursday.
The family of a three-month-old baby, who was among the group of congregants who were swept away in the Jukskei River in Johannesburg over the weekend, is hopeful rescuers will recover her body.
Snenhlanhla Renqe was swept away on Saturday during a baptism ceremony performed by a "prophet". She was with her mother, grandmother Sheila Renqe, and three-year-old brother Elethu Renqe. Her mother was the only survivor in their family.
Her aunt, Queen Nyumbeka, told News24 the family would combine the funerals if the baby's body was found.
READ | Jukskei River baptism: Death toll climbs to 15, rescuers still looking for missing infant
She said the pastor operated the church informally in an open field and occasionally took congregants to the river for baptism ceremonies, depending on his prophecy.
"My sister was the one who usually congregated with other believers. I would not say the whole family were members of that church.
"From what I have heard, there is no church [building]. Congregants regularly meet in an open field, and if the pastor prophesied about a baptism of one of them, then they would go to the river. We hear he helped people," Nyumbeka added.
She said the mother was traumatised by the loss of so many family members. At the moment, Nyumbeka said, the family was praying for the discovery of the baby's body so that the mother could get closure.
According to Nyumbeka, the baby was in the pastor's arms when the raging water swept her away.
"My sister had the child, but she asked the pastor to hold her so she could try and save her mother and Elethu.
"When she realised she could not save them, she turned to the pastor to get Snenhlanhla, but she was not there. When she asked where she was, all the pastor could say was: 'I'm sorry'," she added.
On Wednesday, City of Johannesburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) recovered the body of a 15th person that had been swept away.
EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said rescuers would resume the search for Snenhlanhla on Thursday.
"We hope that if luck is on our side, we will recover the baby and give the family closure," Mulaudzi said.
