A 26-year-old man tragically lost his life when the walls of a pit collapsed on him and he was buried alive as he dug a toilet in New Khaltsha, Khayelitsha.
The incident occurred on Friday, November 29. Despite desperate attempts by community members and rescue services, the man could not be saved.
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Khayelitsha Man Buried Alive While Digging Toilet
Residents were horrified as the pit’s unstable walls gave way, burying the man alive. A second man, who was working alongside the victim, narrowly escaped after residents pulled him out from the waist-deep sand.
“It was painful to see him die while we couldn’t save him,” said one of the distraught witnesses.
Community leader Chrislyn de Jareg described the harrowing overnight struggle to recover the man’s body.
“We slept by the hole all night trying to help him, but we couldn’t retrieve him. The rescue services came, but every time they dug, more sand would slide down, collapsing the hole further. It felt like quicksand; we’re heartbroken,” she said.
Residents Bash Emergency Services
Another community leader, Nosiviwe Mgaba, criticised the delayed response of rescue teams, citing logistical challenges.
“If they had arrived early and accessed the site directly, his life might have been saved,” Mgaba said, adding that a newly built wall forced rescue vehicles to park far from the scene.
The victim, whose family has not yet spoken publicly, was reportedly digging the toilet for a neighbour. Community members expressed their grief over the loss of such a young life.
“He died while digging a toilet for his neighbour. Losing such a young person under these tragic circumstances is devastating. We regarded him as our own child,” said Jodine Buekes, another community leader.
Lingelethu West police confirmed to Daily Sun an inquest is underway.
“Reports indicate the victim was digging a hole when it collapsed on him. A postmortem will be conducted to determine the cause of death,” said police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg.