Durban - A Durban church are mourning after one person died and a pastor is missing after a baptism at the Inanda dam on Thursday.
Yesterday, at Inanda, members of the New Galilee Church in Zion gathered at the dam hoping for the recovery of the body of pastor Sikhumbuzo Sibisi.
According to Siboniso Zungu of the church, Sibisi and a woman, Busi Mazibuko, slipped and went under during a baptism ceremony on Thursday.
“We were standing on the edge of the river. When the pastor was praying for Busi Mazibuko, she slipped into the water. The pastor tried to catch Busi, but while doing so the water was flowing very fast and he also drowned. When I tried to assist them, I failed because everything was happening so fast,” said Zungu.
Zungu added that while Mazibuko’s body had been recovered, the pastor was still missing.
“Our pastor is still missing, but we found Busi on the same day (Thursday). We are still looking for him,” he said.
Sibisi’s son Phiwe Sibisi said he hoped the police’s search-and-rescue team could assist them to find his father.
“We are very sad about all of this… We would really appreciate the help of the police search-and-rescue team. Everyone is hurting…”
Provincial police spokesperson Constable Thenjiswa Ngcobo said an inquest docket has been opened, but could not confirm a missing person’s case.
“On December 1, 2022, Inanda police were called to Esikebheni where the body of a 30-year-old woman was recovered. An inquest docket was opened for investigation into her death, at the Inanda SAPS,” Ngcobo said.