IT WAS a warm winter day - perfect weather for a little boy to play outside, especially after the recent rains. And that's exactly what Khayalethu Magadla did after his family came home from church that Sunday. As the day wore on and the sun rose high, Khaya decided to go and play with his friends at the park down the road from his home in Dlamini, Soweto.
It was there the five-year-old was last seen alive. As the sun sank and cold dusk loomed, the family started getting concerned and what would emerge became a heartbreaking story that has saddened the entire country.
When Khaya didn't come back home on Sunday evening, we went around looking for the children he was playing with, says family spokesperson Veli Mthethwa.
But they were met with silence. The children didn't want to divulge any information on his whereabouts. It was as if they were scared.
The family went to the Moroka police station but found it deserted and went back to report him missing the following day. They also reported him missing at school and gradually started to piece together what had happened.
There was an open manhole in the area that we reported two years back which was covered with a plank, Veli says. It seems the boys had been taking turns walking over the plank with Khaya being the last one to go.
There was a child who was fetched from school by his parents and he accompanied them to the park along with their teachers. He went straight to the hole and said, 'This is where Khaya fell:
Esta historia es de la edición 07 July 2022 de YOU South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor ? Conectar
Esta historia es de la edición 07 July 2022 de YOU South Africa.
Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.
Ya eres suscriptor? Conectar
HOW TO BE YOUR OWN THERAPIST
With more and more of us struggling with our mental health, here's a common-sense guide to coping with life's ups and downs
SPUD: THE MAGIC CONTINUES
John van de Ruit tells us why he decided to write a sequel - and shares how his first book helped him find enduring love
SEX CONTRACT GONE WRONG
A Cape Town couple have been charged with using a young woman as a sex slave-but some say she lost the job she signed up for and now has a grudge against them
LIAM LAID TO REST
More than a month after One Direction singer LIAM PAYNE (31) tragically fell to his death from a balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina, his loved ones finally got to say their goodbyes.
SHILOH HANGS OUT
THE two young women look like any pair of good friends chatting and laughing as they leave their dance class in Los Angeles.
LEO IN LOVE
He's just turned 50 and it seems Leonardo DiCaprio may finally be ready to settle down
PACKING A PUNCH
Irish actor Paul Mescal beefed up for his role in the blockbuster epic Gladiator II - and fans are loving it
I DIDN'T CHOOSE TO BE A LOVE CHILD
As the illegitimate daughter of the king, she fought to be recognised as part of Belgium's royal family, but Princess Delphine says she still feels unwelcome
'I STILL HAVE NIGHTMARES'
A bite from a spitting cobra 13 years ago nearly killed her but Mikayla survived - and she's made peace with her scars
THE CLAWS ARE OUT!
Things have grown frosty between the Beckhams and the Sussexes as Becks comes out in clear support of William