By: Natasha Archary
The search still continues to find 6-year old Khayalethu Magadla, who fell into a manhole in Dlamini, Soweto on Sunday, 12 June.
In the latest developments, Johannesburg EMS will be deploying robots to try and locate the child.
According to EMS spokesperson, Robert Malaudzi, the robots will be able to check the more dangerous lines in the piping chambers.
This is where there are methane gas or electrical cables, making the search for the boy difficult.
Search and rescue teams have moved from searching the sewerage pipes in Soweto, to Eldorado Park as well as a split chamber in Klipspruit.
City of Jo’burg Mayor, Mpho Phalatse said the search for Khayalethu Magadla will not stop until he is found. Phalatse paid a visit to the family to reassure them that every effort is being made to find Khaya.
A very tragic state of affairs.
— Mpho Phalatse (@mphophalatse1) June 15, 2022
I'm in Soweto with MMCs @David_S_Tembe, @MichaelSun168 and @MMC_Sauls1st to receive an update from @CityofJoburgEMS on efforts to recover 6-year old Khaya Magadla.
We're now headed to the family home to report back and provide support. pic.twitter.com/0FhhqkG6H9
His family have shared that they were not sure what had happened until the next day.
The boy’s cousin confessed to a teacher that he had fallen into the manhole whilst they were playing. Because the other children were scared, they ran home and said that they last saw Khaya at the park.
The chances of finding the boy dwindled due to the time that passed since he fell and the search eventually began.
However, Malaudzi said that they sealed the manhole that Khaya had fallen down because there was no way he would have been found there.
“There’s flowing water, with a high pressure, so the community were angry when we didn’t go down the hole that he fell into.”
EMS spokesperson Robert Malaudzi



