Johannesburg - The body of one of the three people who drowned in the Vaal Dam was found trapped inside the car that was submerged under water.
The car, which had three people inside, hit the barrier of the Vaal Dam on Monday and fell into the water.
While the bodies of Lucky Hlapo, 20, and Thugela Mnguni, 34 were recovered on Tuesday, the body of 42-year-old Lefunyana Tsotetsi was found on Thursday morning.
Free State police spokesperson Brigadier Motantsi Makhele said the SAPS had heard about about the incident on Monday. It was informed that there was a car that had been involved in an accident at Prinsloo Magrieta Bridge in Oranjeville at around 2pm.
He said officers went to the scene. Two bodies were retrieved from Vaal Dam the following day.
He said the car reportedly crashed into steel barriers on the bridge and fell into the deep water. The cause of the accident was not yet known, he said.
The search for another body resumed on the third day, Thursday, at about 9am with the search and retrieval of the missing person and motor vehicle.
“A towing service was roped in for assistance and a red Kia Sportage was lifted out of the dam at about 10am.
“The lifeless body of a man was found trapped inside the motor vehicle. This man was identified by his next of kin at the scene, as Lefunyana Tsotetsi, aged 42.”
A case of culpable homicide was registered for further investigation, he said.
Acting Police Commissioner Major General Len Singh commended everyone who had helped in retrieving the bodies.
"We are very thankful and appreciative towards the good relations we have with fellow colleagues from the Gauteng Search and Rescue team that assisted with the search, members of the sister departments; Department of Traffic, Fire, Netcare and Towing service," Singh said.
IOL