Kaalvuis Teen Tonne Rots Flashcards
(104 cards)
What is the meaning of kaalvuis teen tonne rots?
Bare fists against tons of rocks
Who is the main character in this story?
Richard Simelane
Where does Richard work?
1 500 metres beneath Johannesburg in the City Deep goudmyn
When does Richard go to work?
Early in the morning
Why is it dangerous work?
He has already lost a lot of friends in mine accidents
When was the rockslide?
17 December 1952
It was a Wednesday
Which shaft did the rockslide happen in?
Shaft 1
What happened during the rockslide?
The dak (ceiling) and the walls caved in like a house of cards
What was it like after the rockslide?
The lights were dead
His friend’s headlamp glowed dimly
It was quiet
What were the injuries after the rockslide?
Richard had bruises
His friend had an injured foot
His manager and three other people were buried under the rocks (dead)
20 out of 24 people lived
How were Richard and his friends trapped?
With no food A tiny bit of water Tonnes of rocks blocking the exit The tunnel had collapsed behind them Cut off from the rest of the world
How did Richard react to the rockslide?
He did not lose hope He took control He collected the headlamps He told no one to talk He only put one light on at a time
Who helped the injured?
Richard
Fernando Zunguza
What was Richard’s plan?
He was small and skinny, so he decided to dig out a tunnel and pass the stones back to Fernando
Why didn’t people think his plan would work?
They thought the rocks would tumble if he fiddled
They thought it would take too long
When did the lamps batteries run out?
Six hours later
What was Richard thinking of in the small tunnel?
His wife
His mother
His childhood
What was Richard’s childhood like?
He ran barefoot in the fields
He looked after cattle
How many hours did the rescue party try and dig?
20
Why was Richard thinking of his childhood?
He wanted to remember a place of safety
It is very different to what he is doing
When did Richard reach the end?
Just before he passed out
Why didn’t Richard cry out?
His throat was too dry
How many people made it through the hole?
Four
What happened after thirty hours?
Their families hadn’t heard what was going on
The first rescue team took a break
A second team took over
