South Africa has sent a team to help with rescue efforts after a local politician was swept away by floodwaters while visiting neighbouring Mozambique.

Andile Mngwevu, a councillor in the Ekurhuleni municipality, east of Johannesburg, and four others were in Mozambique's Gaza province when their car was caught in a flood, officials say.

Only one of the passengers has been accounted for - the "status and whereabouts of the other occupants remain unconfirmed", the municipality said in a statement.

Flooding has devastated parts of both countries and resulted in Mozambican President Daniel Chapo cancelling his trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos.

His South African counterpart, Cyril Ramaphosa, confirmed that two helicopters had been deployed to help Mozambique "for a number of days until their situation subsides".

Weeks of flooding in Mozambique have damaged infrastructure and killed more than 100 people.

The rainy season has now begun in central and northern Mozambique, with further heavy rain forecast across large parts of the country, which is entering its annual cyclone season.