The body of missing six-year-old Khayalethu Magadla, who fell into a manhole while playing with friends in Soweto, was found near Eldorado Park Cemetery wastewater plant on Saturday. The six-year-old boy went missing for three weeks, after falling into a manhole while playing with his friends near his home in Dlamini, Soweto.
Various teams were deployed in the search for the missing boy. Despite authorities deploying robotic equipment, the missing child was nowhere to be found. The search which had lasted for three weeks came to an end as the body of Magadla was found on Saturday.
Nana Radebe-Kgiba, the Johannesburg EMS spokesperson said Magdla was found in the splitter chamber on the first manhole towards the sump situated near the cemetery. “Today at about 12:23 Khayalethu Magadla was recovered by a rescue and recovery team comprising of 35 EMS, hazmat and urban search and technicians, water unit, K-9 unit and air wing, Delta Scan, ambulances from Gauteng province and 60 members of Joburg Water.”
Radebe-Kgiba added that the specialised EMS team searched through the challenging pipeline system. “The urban search and rescue teams have recovered at least 20K from Dlamini to Eldorado Park.”
Johannesburg water joined in the rescue efforts and helped find the missing boy. “Johannesburg Water has assisted immensely with drainage of water from different sewer systems. We send our deepest condolences to the family in this time of difficulty and hope they find closure now that Khayalethu is found,” she said.
