Robots deployed as search for Soweto boy who fell down manhole continues

Johannesburg EMS will deploy robots as the search for 6-year-old Khayalethu Magadla, who fell into a sewer manhole in Soweto, continues on Friday.

EMS spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said they were going back on site on Friday.

“This time we will also be deploying robots, thanks to Delta Scan, a company that deals with robots in most of the engineering sector,” he said.

The robots will help them to clear up any uncertainty in some of the lines which have lots of methane gas and electrical cables.

“So we will be using these robots to make sure that we can be able to locate Khayalethu. If we do see something along the line we will be able to immediately send our rescue technicians to recover the boy while the cleaning process in the split chamber is continuing,” he said.

On Wednesday, rescuers probed a sewer split chamber in Klipspruit hoping to find the little boy.

He fell into an open manhole on Sunday while playing with friends at Eco Park in Dlamini.

“We will also be monitoring that area along the split chamber area. That is the plan for today [Friday]. 

“We will use all the resources we have to make sure we recover the young boy so that we can assist the family to find closure,” he said.

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