The family of a Swaneville mom who was swept away by floods two weeks ago has lost faith she will ever be found.

Rebecca Mashilo, 59, slipped and fell while crossing a bridge on her way home from work on February 7.

Mashilo's niece Katlego said the stream had risen to above the bridge because of the floods, and her aunt slipped because of the strong current.

Another niece, Lerato, said the family was distraught.

"We don't know whether to stop crying and dive into the dam [ourselves] and look for her. We don't know whether to have hope that she might be found alive or to start planning for her funeral," said Lerato.

She said Mashilo's daughter, who is in grade 11, has had to be moved to family members far from Swaneville on the West Rand to help her cope with the situation.

"We have family in Limpopo who constantly call for updates [on Mashilo's disappearance] but we are clueless ourselves. We are emotionally drained. Everything is happening so slowly and we have lost faith in the police and the rescue team. Imagine what state her body would be in if she has really been under water all this time?"

Kagiso police station commander Brig Themba Maduna said the search was disrupted last week after a violent protest in Kagiso over service delivery.

"The search commenced again on Monday on the other side of the dam after nothing was found on the other side. However, the reeds continue to be a challenge for the rescue team as the area is very unsafe for even the divers themselves," said Maduna.

He said the search team has been beefed up with more specialised divers, the SAPS dog unit and emergency services.