Wreckage found, but still no trace of Somali businessman and assistant

There is still no closure for the family of missing Somali businessman Mr Ali Nur, who, along with his assistant, was swept away by floodwater from a bridge at Tswinga on 17 January. Although search and rescue teams found the wreckage of the bakkie they were travelling in on Sunday, there was still no trace of either Nur or his assistant.

Nur owned a number of shops at Tswinga, outside Thohoyandou. He and his unidentified assistant met their untimely end when their bakkie, laden with stock, was swept off the flooded Tswinga bridge as they attempted to cross the Dzindi River. The incident occurred on 17 January at around 13:00.

Soon after news of the incident spread, police acted swiftly, dispatching divers to the scene to begin search and possible rescue operations. More manpower was later brought in when rescue teams from Gauteng, the Free State, and Mpumalanga were roped in to reinforce the local teams. However, continued heavy rains made the search difficult.

At one stage, the search had to be put on hold to allow the water level to drop. Two helicopters and boats were also deployed, but nothing was found.

It was only on Sunday, 25 January, that Nur’s bakkie was spotted in the still-flooded river. For a brief moment, the discovery sparked hope that the bodies of the two men would also be found, but that was not to be. There were no bodies inside the wreckage.

Vhembe police spokesperson Warrant Officer Vuledzani Dathi confirmed the discovery of the vehicle.
“Yes, we can confirm the vehicle was found not far from the bridge where it was swept away. Unfortunately, no one was found inside. The vehicle has since been towed away, and the search will continue until we find them,” said Dathi.

Meanwhile, family members of Nur continue to cling to hope that he will be found. Nur’s brother, Mr Abdulahi Roble Jes, thanked all South Africans for their sympathy and the efforts being made in searching for his missing brother.
“We are a bit consoled that his bakkie was recovered. This gives us hope that we will get him. We are very grateful for the support we have received since he went missing,” he said.

Date:29 January 2026

By: Elmon Tshikhudo

Elmon Tshikhudo started off as a photographer. He developed an interest in writing and started submitting articles to local as well as national publications. He became part of the Limpopo Mirror family in 2005 and was a permanent part of the news team until 2019. He currently writes on a freelance basis, covering human rights issues, court news and entertainment.

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