Some months ago, a disused mineshaft swallowed a five-year-old South African boy, Richard Thole.
However, since that time, there has been no rest for the boy's mother, Nombeko Thole.
According to Daily Sun SA, this is because Richard’s screams haunt her sleep at night. He begs her to fetch him from the dark grave.
Nombeko Thole (35) told Daily Sun she couldn’t sleep at night.
“He comes to me in a dream, begging me to fetch him. It haunts me because I can’t help him. Emergency services tried but they also failed. I feel so helpless and I’m struggling to get this thing off my mind.”
Little Richard’s story made headlines in March this year, when her son disappeared down the deep, unstable shaft.
Emergency services and the SANDF tried in vain to retrieve his body.
Richard was playing with his friend Tshepiso when he slipped and fell down the open shaft. His body remains there to this day. She said the family as well as his little friend who had witnessed the accident were left traumatised.
Richard Thole's mother with some of his properties
“Each time Richard’s friend came home from creche, he would sneak to the shaft to check whether he could see him.
“He did this unnoticed until his mum heard about it and immediately took him to her parents in Mpumalanga, fearing he too would fall down the shaft.”
Nombeko and her husband Misheck said they often visited the shaft, which is still open, to speak to Richard.
“We miss him. He was a lively child who lit up our home and he left a vacuum. We can’t be free in our souls until we find closure.”
Nombeko said they still hadn’t received the counselling promised by Ekurhuleni Municipality.
“They promised us a lot of things, including a house, but we’ve seen nothing.”
Other residents said the open shaft was growing bigger and kept getting deeper.
“No one is safe here,” they said.
Ekurhuleni mayoral spokeswoman Gugu Ndima said their door was open to the family.
“At the last meeting we had with them they said they would consult with their family. We have been waiting for them ever since.”
She said the family would still be given counselling
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