LISTEN: Search continues for body of Durban North domestic helper

The body of the domestic helper has been trapped beneath the rubble since Monday when the wall near her quarters caved in due to heavy downpours.

The Pietermaritzburg-based organisation, Gift of the Givers, is part of the search operation. 

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Teams have been working day and night digging through thick mud. 

Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman says they are on the verge of finding the body.

"It was very emotional last night. When we were busy in the day as the police were digging, we could get the stench of a body that's decomposing and that was really troubling the family. 

"Then they came out with a doll that belongs to the domestic and afterwards, they came out with something more emotional - a folder that the owner of the house had given to the domestic."

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"She was very moved because of the personal relationship between her and the domestic - that also motivated the search and rescue team." 

SAPS K9 dogs, Tractor Loader Backhoe and bobcat machines have been brought in to help with the digging. 

"It was a manual dig right after the machine came. The dog came just to make sure they are digging in the right spot, because the yard is quite big and the amount of rubble is quite high,” says Sooliman.

"When they put the dog there, he was convinced that it was in the right place and then of cause, the stench started coming into the house which also gave an impression that the body was close to where the stench was coming from."

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"This morning, the machine moved a lot of rubble very quickly that's why we feel that at some point today, all the hard work is going to be rewarded. It's about giving the person dignity." 

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