Five members of a family have been trapped by rising waters on the Thekwane River in Ndolwane, Plumtree, since Sunday.
Journalist Ezra Sibanda said that villagers in Bhutshe, Ndolwane, are appealing for urgent help as the family remains stranded on an island in the flooded river. Wrote Sibanda on Facebook:
“According to villagers, the group is marooned on a river island that is rapidly being submerged, forcing them to cling to trees as water levels continue to rise following days of relentless rainfall.
“The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, 21 December 2025, when the five were attempting to cross the Thekwane River using a donkey-drawn cart while returning from harvesting mopane worms.”
The five were stranded on an island in the flooded Thekwane River in Ndolwane, Plumtree, after trying to cross the river. Villagers say the river surged while the family was crossing, sweeping away their donkeys and leaving them trapped.
The family members have been identified as Lethiwe (born 1977), Wiseman (born 2009), Marylene (born 2010), Bhorongi (14), and Gogo Na Trial (age unknown).
Villagers have been keeping vigil along the riverbank, describing scenes of panic and distress as they wait for a rescue.
They say the situation has been reported to the police several times over the past three days, but no rescue has yet taken place.
One villager said the police are waiting for the Civil Protection Unit (CPU), which is trained to carry out such operations.
Time is critical, with hunger setting in and some of the trapped people relying on medication, putting their lives at further risk. Attempts to get a comment from the Zimbabwe Republic Police in Ndolwane were unsuccessful.
The incident comes amid heavy flooding across the region, caused by days of heavy rain that have damaged homes, roads, bridges, and rivers, leaving many communities vulnerable. Villagers are calling urgently on authorities to act before it’s too late.
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