• News
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
Independent on Saturday

The Independent on Saturday (IOS) is entertaining, informative and sporty. It's the most popular, must read English Saturday newspaper in KwaZulu-Natal. It's your guide to being up to date and having fun, whether you are staying in or going out. It's the perfect way to start the weekend, it's a case of “Miss the IOS, miss the weekend”.

Read more

Sections on iOS
  • News
  • Sport
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
Our network
  • Business Report
  • Cape Argus
  • Cape Times
  • Daily News
  • Independent on Saturday
  • Mercury
  • Pretoria News
  • Sunday Tribune
  • Sunday Independent
  • Star
  • Post
© 2025 Independent Online and affiliated companies. All rights reserved.
Press CodePrivacy PolicyTerms & ConditionsAdvertise with usFeedbackComplaints Procedure
News

Are you safe while conducting rituals at sea or rivers? Joburg EMS says many people die during water rituals

Jonisayi Maromo|Published 1 year ago

Police and a rescue team at a river The Joburg Emergency Management Services is appealing to people who undertake rituals in rivers and streams to exercise caution. File Picture

Two young people are still missing after they were apparently swept away by a strong water current in the Klip River, leading to an appeal by the Joburg Emergency Management Services (EMS) for community members to exercise extreme caution while conducting religious rituals.

The search for the 18-year-old girl and a 21-year-old man was called off on Sunday night and it resumed on Monday morning around the area where the two vanished on Klip River in Joburg.

The two were part of a group that was conducting a cleansing ceremony on Saturday evening.

Joburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi told broadcaster Newzroom Afrika that several people are swept away each summer season while conduction religious rituals at the streams and rivers across the populous city.

The Joburg Emergency Management Services is appealing to community members to exercise caution when conducting rituals in bodies of water. File Picture: City of Joburg EMS

“We actually have a problem throughout the City of Johannesburg, especially around the summer seasons. During this period we see an increase in terms of the incidents where it can be church communities, it can be people who believe in various religions visiting most of our river streams.”

In December last year, at least 15 people drowned after water current swept them away while conducting a baptism ceremony in the Jukskei River in Joburg.

Mulaudzi said residents frequent the rivers and streams around Joburg for activities including baptism, cleansing ceremonies and other rituals.

“We have intensified our public education efforts to make sure that our church communities are aware of the safety measures that they can take when they conduct these rituals. South Africa is a democratic country where everyone is allowed to practice his or her own religion,” he said.

“From our side, we cannot say you cannot do that, but we are saying when our residents are conducting these kinds of rituals, they need to make sure that all the safety measures are taken care of so that we can prevent incidents like this one.”

The Joburg Emergency Management Services is appealing to community members to exercise caution when conducting rituals in bodies of water. File Picture: Ayanda Ndamane

The Joburg EMS highlighted that many believers are of the view that at the time when the water current is strong, it is the perfect time to conduct the religious rituals, which puts them in danger.

Mulaudzi added that most of the rituals in the rivers and water streams are also conducted at night, which makes it more dangerous, given the limited visibility.

The Joburg Emergency Management Services is appealing to community members to exercise caution when conducting rituals in bodies of water. File Picture: Oupa Mokoena

IOL reported in December that the 15 church-goers who drowned in the Jukskei River were caught in a flash flood following heavy rains in the area.

IOL

  • Masowe church drownings: 14 bodies recovered with search continuing for more bodies
  • Juskei drownings: Severe thunderstorms in Joburg disrupt search for missing congregants
  • Joburg EMS calls off search for missing baby in the Jukskei because of bad weather

Related Topics:

religion and beliefsapscommunity safety departmentcommunity police forumscity of joburgnsrijoburgsowetodrowningcrime and courtssafety