Missing boys survive night lost in notorious Mamba Valley

Durban - A massive police manhunt for two missing teens in Reservoir Hills in the notorious “Mamba Valley” ended with smiles yesterday morning when the Pillay boys, Tyrique, 15, and Tyrall, 14, were found, after going missing on Thursday afternoon.

The drama started when the two boys jumped over their garden wall to make their way into the bush below the property to look for their lost dog at about 4pm on Thursday.

Their mother, Fiona, who was hanging washing on the line outside at the time, saw them go. But they had not returned when night fell and, by 8pm, Fiona was frantic with worry and contacted the police.

Numerous police units were assembled, including Durban Metro Search & Rescue, SAPS Umhlali K9 Unit, as well as other police units, the Fire Department and IPSS Emergency Medical Rescue, which also uses tracker dogs.

Yesterday morning, outside the Pillay family home in Dunkeld Road, there was a gathering of numerous police and emergency services vehicles.

Before dawn broke, the responding units had planned a co-ordinated search and rescue operation. This entailed making their way down a steep cliff to a river below.

Also known as “Mamba Valley”, the area is well-known for snakes, which are just emerging from winter hibernation. The search started in the early hours while it was still dark, but because of the highly dangerous terrain, they pulled back until first light.

IPSS Emergency Medical Rescue spokesperson, Paul Herbst, said the ground was also littered with illegal electricity cables, connected to a nearby informal settlement, which made it additionally dangerous for officers and the tracking dogs.

“We came to the family home at around midnight. Three teams have gone down to the river and the dogs are searching, but illegal cables have been hindering the effort,” said Herbst at the scene in the morning.

Concerned neighbours waiting on the road and watching the drama unfold, highlighted the dangerous terrain going down into the valley, as well as the well-known mamba population.

A younger friend of the boys, who was at the scene, said: “I told them not to go into that valley to look for their dog.”

And as the intensive search was under way, word came to police that the boys had been spotted at a nearby shopping centre. Local taxi conductor Sandile Zibula said he had heard about the missing boys from a friend while at a local bus rank.

“I heard the story early this morning about these missing boys and I had seen them under the bridge. So I came up here to tell the police,” said Zibula.

Police vehicles sped to the location and within minutes, senior police officers returned with the two boys who were ushered inside the family home to speak to police. It appeared they had not found the family dog which they had gone searching for the previous day.

’’They were not available to tell their story, but according to police, said that darkness had prevented their return. Their mother, Fiona, said she had spent a sleepless night worrying about her sons’ whereabouts.

“They have never stayed out all night like this before and I hope they never do this again. I want to thank all the police for their efforts in finding my boys,” she said at the scene when the boys had just returned.

Durban Metro Police spokesperson, Senior Superintendent Parboo Sewpersad, said that while the operation was a success in that the boys were found by mid-morning, police time and resources had been wasted on the widespread search.

“The search and rescue teams have been very proactive since we received the alert about the situation.

“(On Thursday night) officers gathered all the information and members searched the area during the early hours, but the dense bush, undulating terrain, steep drop-offs and illegal electricity connections made it too dangerous to continue. Members regrouped, called for further backup and waited for first light.

“As soon as the sun came up, members split into three groups and continued with the search,” said Sewpersad.

He added: “I hope the family of the boys speak to them about how they wasted police time.

“On the positive side, people in the community were helping by sharing information with police as we were searching and because of this, the boys were found.

“It makes such a difference when community members work with police and it shows we can be successful when we all work together,” said Sewpersad.

The Independent on Saturday