“One day when it felt like I was failing the family, I went around the park, and found a tree and cried. I was on my knees, crying. I had to put sunglasses on afterward.” That’s how Yolanda Msibi, the City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Management Services Divisional Chief, describes the 20 days it took to locate the body of Khayalethu Magadla, the six-year-old who fell in an open manhole near his home in Dlamini, Soweto.
Msibi, who was the incident commander for Khayalethu’s rescue, started each tactical meeting with a prayer. The search challenged rescuers physically and emotionally. Msibi communicated with Khayalethu’s family regularly by sharing the daily plan.
“We’re trained to control our emotions. The team depends on the incident commander. You should have a confident voice, give your team strength, and your mind must be strong,” she adds. Msibi says they completed the search through the strength of God and not on their own.
Each day began with renewed hope for the rescuers, and they remained dedicated and committed to the arduous task, braving daily challenges, including the harsh smell of sewerage, to work tirelessly to recover Khayalethu’s body.
The rescue team was made up of 35 Emergency Management Service (EMS) technicians, Hazmat and urban search technicians, the water unit, Delta scan and members of the Joburg Water rescue team. The task required high-level technology and heavy-duty machinery, as well as constant safety precautions for rescuers, given the severity and speed of water.
Ivy Mabogo was one of the first EMS technicians who went into the sewer pipelines. As rescuers arrived in Dlamini on Monday, 13 June, she recalls how crowded the scene was. As a mother, all she could think of was what had happened to Khayalethu.
Joseph Sithole, a Platoon Commander with 18 years of service, struggled to sleep. “I couldn’t sleep properly. It was difficult. You can’t even sleep knowing that the family hasn’t found one of their members.”
Sithole says what kept rescuers steadfast in the search for Khayalethu was knowing that everyone relied on them. “If we failed, it would have meant we failed the community.”
When Matsoso Maje, an EMS technician, discovered Khayalethu’s body, it was a triumphant moment knowing that the rescuers put all their energy into the search. The Magadla family could finally have closure.
Nkosi Mzolo, another one of the EMS technicians, remembers how he jumped and screamed when Khayalethu’s body was discovered because it felt like a victory.
“We had sleepless nights. I have a 9-year-old boy who asked me every day if we had found Khayalethu yet. I have been in service for 12 years, but it was my first time walking in sewerage. Becoming hopeless during the search was never an option,” Mzolo says.
EMS Station Commander Freddy Morukhu says Khayalethu’s rescue was extraordinary, but they never gave up. “For as long as we didn’t finish searching everywhere, we still had hope. Until the last day.”
Joburg EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi was full of praise for the team. “We have men and women who are brave and committed to the cause. They are selfless, dedicated to the call, and prepared to go beyond the call of duty, even if they have to sacrifice their time with their families.”
Written by Brümilda Swartbooi
29/07/2022
