A rescue operation was conducted in Hammanskraal, north of Pretoria, on Monday morning to help a construction worker who fell into a trench that he and his colleagues were digging.

The 29-year-old man plunged into the trench and his leg was crushed by sand that fell in behind him, leaving the leg broken.

One of the images shared from the rescue operation showed a colleague of the injured man sitting next to him, as he lay propped up on him, his injured leg exposed.

A stretcher which was connected to a crane  was hoisted into the ditch to bring the injured man back up to safety.

TimesLIVE