Man found dead in SUV!

THE UNKNOWN BODY of a man and his Ford Everest SUV have been recovered by cops from the overflowing Kgopjane river in Phuthaditjhaba, Free State on Sunday, 6 April.

It's not clear whether the man had been swept away by the strong water currents.

Warrant Officer Mmako Mophiring said cops are working to establish what happened and to identify the dead man.

Mophiring said it's been raining for a week, causing rivers to swell in the Eastern Free State.

"We can confirm that an unidentified body of a man was retrieved from the flooded Kgopjane river. Investigations are currently underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and identify the deceased.

"We urge community members whether walking on foot or on transport to never underestimate neither of overflowing rivers because that's very dangerous and can cause unnecessary deaths. Let's be vigilant and never underestimate rivers or dams as they can be detrimental to humans," he said.

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Mophiring revealed that cops have dealt with drowning incidents that claimed two lives at Vrede in the Phumelela Local Municipality where two siblings drowned while trying to cross water.

"The two inquest cases will be investigated to determine death," he said.

Due to heavy rainfall, several low-lying bridges in the Eastern Free State have been closed to traffic.

The flooded bridges pose a big risk to motorists and authorities warn drivers to take safety steps.

Motorists were told to use other routes and check for updates on road conditions to travel safely.