A homeless man came to the rescue of a Limpopo man who had apparently got caught in the waves at a beach in Sea Point, Cape Town, the National Sea Rescue Institute said.
At about 08:30 on Friday, the NSRI’s Bakoven duty crew were alerted to a drowning in progress at Queens Beach near the Protea Hotel President, said NSRI spokesperson Craig Lambinon.
"While responding to the scene, an eyewitness, who is known to the 38-year-old victim, reported that the patient was safely out of the water after being rescued by a bystander, and that although he was safe, he was injured and required medical care.”
It is believed that the bystander was a homeless man, Thembinkosi Gqotso, who lives in the area and spotted the victim, who was fully dressed, in distress in the water.
Gqotso managed to save the man before emergency services had arrived.
It is believed that the Limpopo man was attending a conference in Cape Town.
"Mr Gqotso is commended for his actions today," said Lambinon.
ER24 paramedics assisted before the patient was immobilised and transported to New Somerset Hospital for further treatment, said spokesperson Russel Meiring.
Source: News24
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