Man Rescued From Stormwater Drain in Durban North After Spending Night Underground With Broken Leg

• A man spent a night underground after he was robbed and dumped down a stormwater drain in Durban North
• The victim suffered a broken leg and had to try to alert passersby to his location along Riverside Road
• Specialised rescue teams responded with rope and extraction equipment to bring the man to the surface

Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.

KWAZULU-NATAL - A man was finally rescued after he spent the night trapped underground following a robbery on 31 August 2026.

The man, who is recovering in a hospital, was robbed and thrown into a stormwater drain along Riverside Road in Durban North. A private security manager confirmed that the victim sustained a broken leg after being shoved into the drain by his attackers.

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The man remained trapped underground throughout the night, unable to escape the deep subterranean structure.

Passersby raise the alarm after hearing man's cries for help

Members of the public walking along Riverside Road heard the victim calling out from below and contacted police and emergency services. When rescue teams arrived, they deployed specialised rope systems and hoisting equipment to reach the man inside the shaft.

"People walking by heard the man's cries for help and alerted police and emergency services to the scene. When emergency teams arrived, they were able to, using their specialised equipment, haul the man up from the drain. He was stabilised at the scene and then taken to a medical facility for further care," the security manager told IOL.

Paramedics treated the victim for his injuries and for shock before transporting him to a nearby medical facility for further care. The South African Police Service has since opened a formal robbery case and is investigating the circumstances of the attack.

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Other stories about rescue operations

• A 72-year-old wheelchair-bound man had to be rescued after he was found covered in faeces and in a desperate condition.
• A Western Cape conservation manager was rescued from a mountain slope after he sustained a serious injury.
• A 60-year-old hiker had to be rescued after he fell about 40 metres while hiking the Second Waterfall trail in Jonkershoek Nature Reserve.

Source: Briefly News