The man, whose name has not yet been released by authorities, disappeared into the about two meter deep pit, which he and his friend, Moistepi Makome (28), dug while scavenging for scrap metals at an abandoned mineshaft, along Elsburg Road, Reiger Park.
Trying to make a living, the pair started digging the ground near the abandoned mine shaft to reach the cables and scrap metals located underneath a concrete slab.
Makome, also from Slovo informal settlement and who hails from Lesotho, managed to escape when the pit collapsed.
According to Makome, he and the deceased have already dug about two metres deep before his friend was entombed.
The pit caved in and the soil sucked his friend deeper into the earth.
“I heard a loud crash, my friend screaming then nothing,” says the survivor.
“I ran towards two men, who were also digging the ground scavenging scrap metals nearby, calling out to them for help,” adds Makome.
Ekurhuleni Emergency Services arrived at the scene at a bout 5pm, and the rescue crew immediately initiated a rescue operation.
According to Ekurhuleni Emergency Services spokesman, Rogers Mamaile, they received a call regarding the incident at about 5pm, and emergency workers rushed to the scene to try and rescue the man.
What began with hopes of rescue, turned into a body recovery operation, after digging the ground with spades and a wheel loader they failed to reach the man underground, and there were no signs that he survived the ground collapse.
An excavator was then used to dig deeper into the ground. Finally, the body was retrieved at about 9.30pm.
None of the firefighters were injured in the rescue operation, which attracted hundreds of onlookers from the nearby settlements.
