To 29-year-old Delvin Safers, a resident of Mossel Bay, the bold rescue operation orchestrated through voice messages from beneath the rubble was truly miraculous.
A miracle voicenote from the George collapsed building
Delvin Safers, aged 29 and hailing from Mossel Bay, worked as the electrician at the construction site when the five-story apartment building collapsed.
Monday’s tragedy claimed the lives of eight of his coworkers.
To the Safer family, his courageous rescue, guided by voice messages from beneath the rubble, was seen as nothing less than a miraculous intervention.
According to Eyewitness News, Safers found himself trapped in darkness, pinned beneath slabs of concrete for 25 long hours, with his cellphone battery dwindling to just 22%.
Using brief voice notes sent at one-hour intervals to conserve battery power, he guided rescuers to the location where he and a deceased colleague were trapped within the wreckage of Unit 7 of the apartment complex.
“They (rescuers) are in the section underneath me. They’re removing the rubble. I hope they move quickly. I won’t make it, I have no energy. I’m tired, tired, tried.”
In immense agony, he began tapping a brick against a steel ladder next to him.
The pain was excruciating, and he had lost sensation in his legs and left arm while his energy was rapidly fading.
“I’m knocking against something metal. But my arms are sore. It’s difficult to with these painful arms but I’ll keep knocking.”
He sustained a broken rib and extensive bruising on his face and body.
However, doctors hope he will be discharged from the hospital over the weekend.
Engineering mystery: Consultant missing then found, after George building collapse
Athol Mitchell, the consulting engineer who approved the plans for the ill-fated 75 Victoria building project, was located after an alert was circulated on the Pink Ladies Facebook page.
Athol Mitchell, a prominent consulting engineer based in Paarl, who authorised the plans for the troubled 75 Victoria project in George, was located after being reported missing on Thursday morning.
According to the Daily Mavericks, on Thursday, a post on the Pink Ladies Facebook page indicated that 76-year-old Mitchell had last communicated with his son on 8th May.
“Athol, who is considered extremely vulnerable, last made contact with this son on 8 May 2024 at 13h31 from the Botterberg Rd (off the N7 on the Philadelphia side).
“His cell is now off and he has not been seen or heard from since.”
Later an image of Mitchell’s vehicle, a Suzuki Grand Vitara, was captured heading “towards Durbanville past Mosselbank”. The post said he was believed to be heading to the Durbanville Vierlanden Estate.
Hours later the Pink Ladies posted that Mitchell had been found.
“Thanks to SAPS, family and friends, community and other role players. Kindly respect the family’s right to privacy” read the notice.
The donation drop-off location has been relocated from 79 Victoria Street to the AGS Church Soteria at 27 Victoria Street.
