Mom of boy, 5, trapped in unused SA mineshaft speaks, search continues

South Africa

Nombeko Thole, mother of the five-year-old boy trapped in an unused mine in South Africa’s Boksburg has spoken to local media portals. She says all she wants is the body of her son.

According to her, Richard, fell into the abandoned mine last Saturday (February 25, 2017). His friend who was with him is also in shock and has been crying since. She said she run to the scene and shouted his name but got no answer.

Asked how she felt with the length of time that had passed (from Friday to Tuesday), she replied. ‘‘I am unhappy because all I want is my child. People have been trying to rescue him but with no success.

She spoke highly of the rescue efforts underway and said collapsing shaft walls were also hindering the work of the rescue team. ‘‘Every time someone goes down there, I am always hopeful they will surface with him. I lose hope every time they come back up empty-handed,’‘ she told a News24 reporter.

MRS in Jerusalem taking a break. Been lowering their camera equipment in and out of the shaft. News24 pic.twitter.com/FqgE0FZaw6
— Iavan Pijoos (Iavan13) March 1, 2017

Heavy rock falls delaying the rescue operation for the trapped five year old in Jerusalem, Boksburg. News24
— Iavan Pijoos (Iavan13) March 1, 2017

‘‘I can’t sleep at night just thinking about where my child is now. He is all alone in there. When his friend came to tell us we saw the shock on his face. His eyes were wide open and red.

‘‘I can’t cope because it’s hurting to think my child is dead. I just want his body so that we can bury him,” she told TimesLive website.

Rescue efforts are still on with an array of security services, the Police, Disaster and Emergency Services, Mine Rescue services. The shaft is located in Boksburg, a city in the East Rand of South Africa’s Gauteng Province.

The local area around where the mine is located is referred to as Jerusalem community.