One person seriously injured, at least four suspected to have died in landfill collapse

One person seriously injured, at least four suspected to have died in landfill collapse. At 15H52 Thursday afternoon, Netcare 911 responded to a landslide at the Ennerdale landfill site in Lawley, South of Johannesburg.

Reports indicate that multiple waste pickers were collecting recyclable materials when a mountain size portion of the rubbish dump collapsed on the group of people.

Emergency services were notified, and they promptly responded. On scene were The SAPS Search and Rescue, SAPS K-9 Search and Rescue, City of Johannesburg Fire and Rescue Services, City of Johannesburg EMS and Gauteng Provincial Government.

SAPS K-9 conducted a combined search after a witness pointed out an area where one of the waste pickers could be. According to another waste picker, at least four people are suspected of being buried under tons of waste.

Once the K-9 picked up a scent, digging was initiated and after some time an adult male was found in a serious condition.

The man was treated on scene by advanced life support paramedics and once stabilised was transported to the hospital for further care.

The search had continued but was called off due to bad weather. A recovery mission will continue today, to search for the bodies of the rest of the victims.

In Other News – Community members catch 28-year-old man r@ping 70-year-old gogo

The Temba Magistrate’s Court has sentenced 28-year-old Thabo Mathibe to life imprisonment after he was convicted of raping a 70-year-old woman.

Mathibe was slapped with an additional 10 years in jail for housebreaking and declared unfit to possess a firearm. North West spokesperson for the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) Henry Mamothame said Mathibe manhandled the septuagenarian and assaulted her before raping her in 2019. See More