Emotions ran high at the collapsed building site in George on Saturday when a worker who was trapped under the rubble was rescued after he desperately clung to life for six days.
The worker, Gabriel Guambe, 33, was loaded into an ambulance, without so much as a scratch.
On the way to the hospital, he communicated with rescue workers, and upon his arrival, all of his vital signs were good.
His rescue was dubbed a "miracle" and re-affirmed the decision taken by authorities to continue with a full-scale rescue operation instead of changing tactics to a recovery mission.
The breakthrough came after 10:00 while rescue workers were busy drilling on site and removing rubble as they continued to look for survivors.
Amid the noise and the dust, a loud horn suddenly pierced the air and the heavy machinery went silent.
A rescue worker was then seen giving a "thumbs up" sign and shouting: "Alive" amid loud claps and gasps of relief from other rescuers on site.
A rescue services dog, Abbey, from the South African Police Services (SAPS), and cameras sent in to detect signs of life, confirmed that Gabriel was alive under the rubble.
Rescuers then hasted to get him out alive, while complete silence filled the air.
Western Cape Premier Alan Winde, who briefed the media said: "Everyone has been waiting for a miracle. Well, this miracle just happened 116 hours into the rescue operation."
"We have just found someone alive."
Head of Disaster Management in the Western Cape, Colin Deiner explained that they had spoken to the survivor, who had been trapped with heavy weight from the concrete slabs bearing down on his lower body.
While medical services personnel moved onto the site, Deiner said Gabriel constantly asked for some water as doctors examined him.
It came to light that he was a tiler and he had been found on what seemed to be the third floor of the five-storey building.
Rescue workers cried and embraced one another when Gabriel was safely brought to the surface and loaded into an ambulance on site.
People could be heard shouting "My God is a miracle worker" and "Our God is alive" when the ambulance made haste to a nearby hospital.
Western Cape Health MEC Nomafrench Mabombo later said she was with Gabriel in the ambulance.
"Today we have witnessed a miracle. He was taken to hospital with no scratches and there was no blood on him."
SAPS released a statement stating that Warrant Officer Willie Visser and sniffer dog, Abbey, led the rescue team to Gabriel.
Police spokesperson Sergeant Chris Spies said Abbey was assisted by her partner, SAPS sniffer dog, Lex, and handler Warrant Officer Riaan Le Roux.
Survivor speaks out
In a video shared of Guambe from his hospital bed, he said he was okay.
"Thank you, and God bless you guys," he said.
He also thanked rescue workers for saving him.
Guambe is recovering well in the hospital, having sustained only minor injuries.
On Saturday night he had his first meal in hospital and was in good spirits.
Rescue workers give a first-hand account of the rescue
#GeorgeBuildingCollapse A rescue worker, Bonita Conrad, who helped to retrieve a survivor in George on Saturday, gives a first-hand account of what happened pic.twitter.com/ldswfvpxD1
— AlgoaFMNews (@AlgoaFMNews) May 11, 2024
