Gabriel's five days beneath the rubble

GEORGE NEWS - Gabriel Guambe's rescue five days after 75 Victoria had collapsed on 6 May 2024 was a miracle.

Extricating him from the depths of the ruins after the operation had been declared a recovery operation on day four - meaning the likelihood of finding survivors had passed and the focus had shifted from saving lives to bringing closure - was a massive consolation to rescue workers.

"Gabriel was one of the lucky ones. One thing we've learnt in our job is that when it's your time, it's your time. It wasn't Gabriel's time," said Alister Louis of ER24.

The 32-year-old tiler from Shoshanguve outside Pretoria was on the third floor when he looked up and saw the roof coming down.

He tried to outrun the falling mass of concrete and steel, but the floor disappeared and he fell down. Struck on the head by a deluge of bricks, Guambe said his makarapa (hard hat) saved his life. He describes the experience as pure horror.

"I don't want to think about it," he says, but he pauses to remember one of the deceased, George Khoza, a close friend from Mozambique who was busy tiling in another room when the building caved in.

For 118 agonosing hours, Guambe remained trapped in a chamber below a massive slab of concrete, surrounded by darkness, cold and dust.

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Blocking out the anguish of a broken hip, hunger, thirst, the indignity of having to urinate in his pants and lying in it for five days, as well as the fear that he was going to die, Guambe remained focused on getting out.

As time dragged on, the chorus of desperation emanating from fellow survivors calling for help petered out - one by one they fell silent.

He was the only remaining survivor.

"I prayed a lot and God heard me," he said. Dehydrated and drifting in and out of consciousness, after five days, Guambe suddenly noticed a sliver of light. Again he called for help. This time a response came.

"Hi, you in there! What is your name?" as rescue worker asked.

"My name is Gabriel," he answered.

In the meantime, the search and rescue dogs had also picked up Guambe's scent and had started scratching, sparking hope in the rescue teams. The workers leapt into action, drilling a small hole through the concrete slab and inserting a camera.

Once they had assessed his situation, they used a jackhammer to chip away at the slab. Soon, Guambe was pulled from the ruins - alive.

READ MORE: A bond forged in rubble

The ordeal left Guambe a changed man. He had always prayed, but during those five days, his connection with his faith deepened. He believes that his survival was no mere coincidence - God had heard him.

Now, he prays more fervently and finds solace in reading his Bible. Looking back, Guambe wishes he had never came to George.

"When the case is over, I want to go back to my friends and family in Pretoria. They have been supporting me throughout with calls and messages," he said.

Although he's worked in construction since 2018, Guambe never wants to set foot on a construction site again. He plans to start some sort of business when he gets paid out. In the meantime, he suffers from back pain and survives on piece jobs.

Gabriel Guambe miraculously survived five days trapped in a compartment under the building rubble.