Johannesburg - Rescue efforts to find the five-year-old boy trapped in an abandoned mineshaft in the Jerusalem informal settlement in Boksburg have officially been called off.
Residents of that squatter camp will be also be removed and relocated to a safer area.
Ekurhuleni mayor Mzwandile Masina announced this on Wednesday, two weeks after Richard Thole fell into the mineshaft on February 25.
After rescue attempts that saw the SANDF being called in to assist, the municipality said a meeting with defence force officials, the Department of Mineral Resources and Richard’s parents was held on Wednesday.
The SANDF presented a report regarding the rescue operation, and it indicated that a continuation of rescue operations posed a danger to rescuers in the wake of one them losing consciousness during rescue efforts as a result of a lack of oxygen.
Also, changing weather patterns, which included heavy rains, affected the stability of the surrounding soil on the shaft.
There was also a possibility of losing people in an attempt to recover the body, because going down further into the shaft posed a greater risk of the ground caving in.
Masina had requested help from the SANDF after rescue efforts by emergency services at the 100m-deep shaft were halted because the ground was unstable, and was later worsened by heavy rains.
“Owing to the reports from experts and the danger posed around the mission, we are compelled by law to abide by reports we have been given, which stop the operation,” the city said in a statement.
“The executive mayor, having been given the report, suggested continued counselling services from the City of Ekurhuleni...(and) that all mining sinkholes be cordoned off and the Ekurhuleni metro police department, together with the community, ensure that these holes aren’t opened.
“He (Masina) further proposed that the city hold a memorial service for Richard Thole and that the city manager urgently lead the process of relocating members of the community to a safer place.
“We remain committed to assist the Thole family through these trying times.
“They have indicated that we allow them time to consider our offer of assistance, and that is what we have agreed on, together with community leaders,” said the statement.
Richard’s father, Modisana, told The Star on Wednesday that they had been engulfed by a sense of hopelessness following the meeting with the municipality and the SANDF.
“They told us that there was nothing that can be done beyond their efforts. They said the circumstances made it difficult to continue with rescue operations,” he said.
“Richard’s mother hasn’t taken the news well. She has been distressed since the day he fell into that hole. We find it difficult to eat, to sleep, or do anything knowing that our child is without food and is underground,” he said.
On February 28, Masina said the rescue service team painted a grim picture of the situation after several attempts to rescue Richard failed.
At the time, he said rescuing Richard was near impossible under the circumstances.
The mayor said the low oxygen levels, acidic water and the depth of the shaft offered little hope of retrieving the child.
He said at the time: “We’re worried about the body, we’re worried that there’s water in the mine. There are a lot of worries that are already emerging, that’s why we’re bracing ourselves for worse.
“It has been long, and we’re not making any breakthrough.
I think we’re concerned, and that’s one of things that we’re raising to the family.”