City of Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor‚ Mzwandile Masina‚ outlines the efforts that have been made to reach five-year-old Richard Thole from the Jerusalem informal settlement in Boksburg‚ who fell down a mine shaft‚ disused since the 1950s. The area where the child was playing before the accident is being used as a refuse tip by the community.
On the 25th of February 2017‚ at about 13h00‚ the Emergency Services unit‚ DEMS‚ through the City’s call centre‚ received a call about the tragic incident‚ where a young boy fell into a mining sink hole at the Jerusalem informal settlement near Primrose.
The Emergency services immediately responded and went to the area. Given the risk of the specific area and where the accident took place‚ the Emergency Services immediately contacted the National Department of Mineral resources. The Department then sent a team of experts who specifically deal with such situations. The Mines Rescue Services (MRS) company‚ led by the CEO‚ Mr. Christo De Klerk‚ arrived and made the following findings:
On arrival the Mines Rescue Services (MRS) staff assessed the situation after which they lowered a rover shaft camera down the 55 degrees dipping decline shaft.
At a depth of 36 metres below surface‚ MRS measured the Oxygen concentration at 12%.
The rover camera was lowered to the depth of 100 metres with no sign of the young boy.
The rover camera was lowered further 3 times on Sunday afternoon 26 February 2017.
On Monday 27 February 2017 MRS lowered one of their staff members down the shaft. At the depth of 36 metres‚ he lost consciousness due to oxygen deficiency and he was raised to the surface.
Given the sensitivity of the matter‚ the community of Jerusalem took to the streets‚ given the degree of anxiety and frustrations that the young boy wasn’t found.
As the City‚ we then sent the MMC of Community Safety‚ Councillor Vivian Chauke‚ who has worked tirelessly with the community and the rescue services team to quell the violence.
A meeting took place on Monday with the following parties to address and explain the magnitude of the rescue mission:
- DEMS
- DMR
- Mine rescue services
- The Ward Councillor‚
- Community Leaders.
I as the Mayor‚ also went to the community‚ to understand what the matter of conflict was about. The community leaders affirmed their commitment to work with us and we were afforded a chance to explain the severity of the case.
Just to give a brief background on the area‚ the informal settlement is on a shaft which had been sealed since the 1950s.
About a month ago‚ the concrete plug collapsed and that is where the unfortunate accident of young Richard fell.
On Monday myself‚ the City Manager‚ the MMC‚ as well as the local Ward councillor‚ went to meet the parents of the young boy‚ the Thole family.
We have expressed our unequivocal commitment to find the child. However‚ we must also be guided by the Department of Mineral Resources and the factual advice provided by the team of experts they have made available to the City’s emergency services. Legislatively‚ the rescue mission‚ given that it happened in a mine shaft‚ resides with the Department and therefore we must be led by experts in the field.
One thing we must avert is losing more people in the operation.
MRS also provided that on Tuesday 28 February 2017 they again lowered the rover camera down the shaft without any success. On return to the shaft on Wednesday 1 March 2017 MRS staff members observed severe falls of ground on the South side of the shaft.
The rover camera was lowered down the shaft 3 times on different positions and every time it got stuck behind a pile of rocks on a ledge at a distance of 60 metres down the shaft.
The shaft is a decline shaft dipping at 55 degrees.
The acid mine water level in the area is at a vertical depth of 116 metres below surface. The decline shaft will be flooded at a vertical depth of approximately 146 metres below surface.
Given the reports provided and risk analysis‚ this indeed is a tragedy and its very unfortunate that it happened.
As the City of Ekurhuleni we have requested more expertise from the Department of Defence. I have personally written the letter to the Minister to expand our alternatives and assess what more we can do given the magnitude of the risk.
We urge the community of Jerusalem to remain calm and allow experts to guide us on a way forward.
As the City of Ekurhuleni‚ we are concerned about each day that passes and we are not getting even to the location of where the young boy is. We are dreading the eventuality of the likely outcome. We continue to keep the Thole family in our prayers through these trying times. We will continue to support them‚ whatever the end result might be.
Ekurhuleni mayor explains difficulty of reaching 5-year old Richard Thole in abandoned mine shaft
City of Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor‚ Mzwandile Masina‚ outlines the efforts that have been made to reach five-year-old Richard Thole from the Jerusalem informal settlement in Boksburg‚ who fell down a mine shaft‚ disused since the 1950s. The area where the child was playing before the accident is being used as a refuse tip by the community.
On the 25th of February 2017‚ at about 13h00‚ the Emergency Services unit‚ DEMS‚ through the City’s call centre‚ received a call about the tragic incident‚ where a young boy fell into a mining sink hole at the Jerusalem informal settlement near Primrose.
The Emergency services immediately responded and went to the area. Given the risk of the specific area and where the accident took place‚ the Emergency Services immediately contacted the National Department of Mineral resources. The Department then sent a team of experts who specifically deal with such situations. The Mines Rescue Services (MRS) company‚ led by the CEO‚ Mr. Christo De Klerk‚ arrived and made the following findings:
On arrival the Mines Rescue Services (MRS) staff assessed the situation after which they lowered a rover shaft camera down the 55 degrees dipping decline shaft.
At a depth of 36 metres below surface‚ MRS measured the Oxygen concentration at 12%.
The rover camera was lowered to the depth of 100 metres with no sign of the young boy.
The rover camera was lowered further 3 times on Sunday afternoon 26 February 2017.
On Monday 27 February 2017 MRS lowered one of their staff members down the shaft. At the depth of 36 metres‚ he lost consciousness due to oxygen deficiency and he was raised to the surface.
Given the sensitivity of the matter‚ the community of Jerusalem took to the streets‚ given the degree of anxiety and frustrations that the young boy wasn’t found.
As the City‚ we then sent the MMC of Community Safety‚ Councillor Vivian Chauke‚ who has worked tirelessly with the community and the rescue services team to quell the violence.
A meeting took place on Monday with the following parties to address and explain the magnitude of the rescue mission:
- DEMS
- DMR
- Mine rescue services
- The Ward Councillor‚
- Community Leaders.
I as the Mayor‚ also went to the community‚ to understand what the matter of conflict was about. The community leaders affirmed their commitment to work with us and we were afforded a chance to explain the severity of the case.
Just to give a brief background on the area‚ the informal settlement is on a shaft which had been sealed since the 1950s.
About a month ago‚ the concrete plug collapsed and that is where the unfortunate accident of young Richard fell.
On Monday myself‚ the City Manager‚ the MMC‚ as well as the local Ward councillor‚ went to meet the parents of the young boy‚ the Thole family.
We have expressed our unequivocal commitment to find the child. However‚ we must also be guided by the Department of Mineral Resources and the factual advice provided by the team of experts they have made available to the City’s emergency services. Legislatively‚ the rescue mission‚ given that it happened in a mine shaft‚ resides with the Department and therefore we must be led by experts in the field.
One thing we must avert is losing more people in the operation.
MRS also provided that on Tuesday 28 February 2017 they again lowered the rover camera down the shaft without any success. On return to the shaft on Wednesday 1 March 2017 MRS staff members observed severe falls of ground on the South side of the shaft.
The rover camera was lowered down the shaft 3 times on different positions and every time it got stuck behind a pile of rocks on a ledge at a distance of 60 metres down the shaft.
The shaft is a decline shaft dipping at 55 degrees.
The acid mine water level in the area is at a vertical depth of 116 metres below surface. The decline shaft will be flooded at a vertical depth of approximately 146 metres below surface.
Given the reports provided and risk analysis‚ this indeed is a tragedy and its very unfortunate that it happened.
As the City of Ekurhuleni we have requested more expertise from the Department of Defence. I have personally written the letter to the Minister to expand our alternatives and assess what more we can do given the magnitude of the risk.
We urge the community of Jerusalem to remain calm and allow experts to guide us on a way forward.
As the City of Ekurhuleni‚ we are concerned about each day that passes and we are not getting even to the location of where the young boy is. We are dreading the eventuality of the likely outcome. We continue to keep the Thole family in our prayers through these trying times. We will continue to support them‚ whatever the end result might be.
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