The River of Death isolates a village and threatens the lives of residents in South Africa.

Written by: Mohammed Omran

In depth South African countrysideWhere many villages are absent from development paths and basic services, the residents of Umhluwazi village in KwaZulu-Natal province face a harsh daily reality of isolation and fear. As the Indaka River winds its way through the village, it transforms from a source of life into a constant threat, forcing the residents to risk crossing it to reach schools, markets, and services, in a journey that may end in death.

Despite many years of repeated government promises to build a bridge connecting the village to the outside world, the residents continue to pay the price with their lives, in a scene that reflects the deep marginalization suffered by rural communities in South Africa.

The village of Umhluwazi, nestled among the rolling hills of the Umhlumayo district in the Othokla province, faces clear isolation, as paved roads stop before reaching it, followed by rough dirt tracks that take many hours, making it more difficult to reach and deepening the sense of isolation felt by its inhabitants from the outside world.

In the absence of water infrastructure, the locals rely on the Indaka River as their main water source, which they share with their livestock, despite the risks it poses, as it has caused the death of six people over the years, prompting residents to call it the ”River of Death.”.

“You are here to mock our struggle, people are dying here,” said community leader Khaniasani Sipsi in a press statement, expressing his anger at their situation.

The village chief, Mbonisini Mazebuku, explained that this anger stems from the loss of families within the community, including the Sepsi family, who lost one of their sons in the river waters. He noted that the residents are experiencing frustration as a result of repeated government promises that have not been fulfilled.

The suffering is not limited to adults, as students have to walk long distances to reach Mandlakhi High School, the only school serving a number of neighboring villages, in addition to having to cross the Indaka River, which is said to contain crocodiles, in the absence of any bridge connecting its two banks.

Local council member Bongani Nicholas Madondo said the provincial transport ministry is responsible for the continuation of this suffering, stressing that officials have visited the area repeatedly and made repeated promises without implementation.

He pointed out that the first of those promises came during the tenure of the former Minister of Transport in KwaZulu-Natal, Willis Mchuno, who announced a bridge project and laid its foundation stone, but the project did not see the light of day. The same thing happened in 2023 with the current Minister of Education, Sebu Hlomuka, without any progress to speak of.

Madondo added that the local community is still suffering from the effects of repeated accidents, including the death of young woman Longelini Shabalala (36 years old), who drowned while crossing the river after returning from Ladysmith where she had been shopping, and whose body was found the following day.

He also noted the deaths of two students in similar incidents, prompting some families to keep their children at home during the rainy season for fear of a repeat of the tragedies.

He pointed out that the absence of the bridge does not only affect daily life, but extends to moments of loss, as families are forced to carry the coffins of their dead across the river during funerals, in a scene he described as directly affecting the dignity of the people.

For his part, the chairman of the transport committee in the KwaZulu-Natal Legislative Assembly, Mensidisi Mavisa, described the situation as a “farce of justice,” vowing to hold those responsible for the fate of the funds allocated for the construction of the bridge accountable.

In contrast, the spokesman for the county's transportation department, Ndabizenhle Sebia, said he would consult with the relevant engineers to learn the latest developments regarding the bridge project, given the continued uncertainty surrounding its fate to this day.