The courage of six Eastern Cape police officers who rescued eight children trapped by raging floodwaters has been recognised by national police commissioner General Riah Phiyega.
At a posh event in Gauteng at the weekend, Phiyega conferred the coveted national commissioner’s award on captains John Fobian and Robin Steyn, warrant officers Fred Dicks and Jacques Swartz, and constables Buyisile Makhosonke and Songezi Katikati.
The officers were part of a task team comprising police divers and K9 search-and-rescue dog handlers drawn from Cradock, Mthatha and East London.
They carried out the rescue mission on the afternoon of January 7 2014 and saved the eight children stranded on a sand bank in the middle of the flooding Tina River near Qumbu.
The youngsters, aged between 7 and 18, had crossed the river to play on the island. At the time it was easy to cross, but later a torrent of water suddenly came rushing towards them.
Villagers attempted to save them but the flash flood was too powerful. They called for help and the team was dispatched.
When the officers arrived the children were in a state of panic and the water was rising.
At the time, disaster management spokesman Fobian, who has since retired, told the Dispatch: “We had to shout to the children from the side and calm them down. We also talked to community members and crying parents to tell them not to panic as the rescue team was doing its best to save their children.”
The rescue mission took more than three hours in fading light as heavy rain approached.
The team used a “pendulum” method to save the children.
“Some of the children were too small to wear life-jackets and rescuers had to keep them elevated above the water while fighting the strong current,” it is stated in the award citation.
A rope was attached to a tree and to the waist of a rescuer who swam to the children.
Officers took turns to ferry the children across the water, assisted by the rest of the team pulling on the other end. In the three weeks that followed, the team went on to save 45 lives.
A proud provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Celiwe Binta, yesterday said: “Working under extreme cold, wet and dangerous conditions, these officers did not spare a thought for their own safety.” — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
Top honours for six brave officers
At a posh event in Gauteng at the weekend, Phiyega conferred the coveted national commissioner’s award on captains John Fobian and Robin Steyn, warrant officers Fred Dicks and Jacques Swartz, and constables Buyisile Makhosonke and Songezi Katikati.
The officers were part of a task team comprising police divers and K9 search-and-rescue dog handlers drawn from Cradock, Mthatha and East London.
They carried out the rescue mission on the afternoon of January 7 2014 and saved the eight children stranded on a sand bank in the middle of the flooding Tina River near Qumbu.
The youngsters, aged between 7 and 18, had crossed the river to play on the island. At the time it was easy to cross, but later a torrent of water suddenly came rushing towards them.
Villagers attempted to save them but the flash flood was too powerful. They called for help and the team was dispatched.
When the officers arrived the children were in a state of panic and the water was rising.
At the time, disaster management spokesman Fobian, who has since retired, told the Dispatch: “We had to shout to the children from the side and calm them down. We also talked to community members and crying parents to tell them not to panic as the rescue team was doing its best to save their children.”
The rescue mission took more than three hours in fading light as heavy rain approached.
The team used a “pendulum” method to save the children.
“Some of the children were too small to wear life-jackets and rescuers had to keep them elevated above the water while fighting the strong current,” it is stated in the award citation.
A rope was attached to a tree and to the waist of a rescuer who swam to the children.
Officers took turns to ferry the children across the water, assisted by the rest of the team pulling on the other end. In the three weeks that followed, the team went on to save 45 lives.
A proud provincial police commissioner, Lieutenant-General Celiwe Binta, yesterday said: “Working under extreme cold, wet and dangerous conditions, these officers did not spare a thought for their own safety.” — zwangam@dispatch.co.za
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