The body of a child that could be three-year old toddler Everite Chauke who was swept away during flash floods in Alexandra has been found in the Juskskei River in Buccleuch, north of Johannesburg, police spokesperson Kay Makhubela said on Tuesday.
"A body was found by community members today. While rebuilding their home, the people found a child among the rubble." Makhubela said police could not ascertain if the child was indeed Everite. He said the family would soon identify the body.
Since the three-year-old was swept away by the flooded Jukskei River on November 9 the search team had moved from Alexandra to Hartbeespoort Dam, north-west of Gauteng, News24 reported.
Police completed their search of the dam on Monday.
Everite, her father Shadrick, and his wife Cynthia were in their home in Alexandra, next to the Jukskei River, when it started raining heavily. When water began filling their dwelling, they climbed a tree.
The mother was on one branch and father and daughter on another. The branch broke and Everite fell into the water. Shadrick jumped in after her, but was forced to swim back to safety without her.
Parts of Johannesburg were hit by heavy rains during November, causing floods that wreaked havoc on poor communities. In Alexandra, the area of Stwetla was devastated after hundreds of people had their homes destroyed after the Juskei burst its banks. This high-risk flood area is not cordoned off. This year, six people were confirmed dead.