A police officer in the Free State saved the life a 67-year-old pensioner from drowning as she attempted suicide for not being able to cope with all her debts.
“I heard the granny screaming in the bushy area already inside the river asking for help. I couldn’t even see her, but used my amateur swimming skills and made my way through the thorny branches and into the muddy Kgoptjane River. The water was flowing heavily as a result of showers of rain. I finally saw her holding onto a branch of a tree but was a bit difficult to reach out to her due to dense branches,” explained Colonel Moleko Mabe.
On Monday morning, two officers attached to the Visible Policing at the Phuthaditjhaba Police Station, were alerted about an elderly woman who was seen by community members drowning in the Kgoptjane River that was flooded as a result of heavy rainfall.
The officers immediately rushed to the scene and upon their arrival, they were met with a number of community members that were helplessly gathered over the bridge of the river.
Mabe proceeded to enter the water after hearing screams from the elderly woman who appeared to be struggling in the flooded river water.
“I finally took the risk and dived into the flooded river until I reached her. I was not afraid to drown as my focus was to rescue the granny. I told her that I am here to rescue and save her life. It was frightening moment for her. She asked me how I am going to rescue her seeing that I don’t even have a rope. I asked her to take a grip of my belt as I started swimming with her towards the bank of the river. I spent almost five minutes in the river struggling to reach the bank.”
Mabe was seen struggling his way through tree branches and holding on tightly to the elderly woman as means of not loosing his grip on her.
“I was breaking the tree branches to pave my way, keeping focus on the safety of the granny, and ensuring that she doesn’t lose her grip.”
After reaching the river bank Mabe was assisted by an elderly man, Mr Mathe who helped pull them to safety.
“We both walked the granny slowly towards the road. I saw the snake in the grass along the way but couldn’t mind it as my mind was to get out the granny to safety.”
The women told Mabe that she attempted suicide because she could not cope with all her debts at home.
The woman was safely transported to Phuthaditjhaba Police Station and reunited with her family.
