Secunda cop who missed the births of his three children helps deliver baby on pavement

For SAPS Const Jabulani Shongwe, witnessing childbirth was not something he had experienced after missing the births of his three children. 

But as fate would have it, he and his partner, Const Prudence Keselepile Diwe, found themselves acting as midwives on the side of a road in the early hours of Sunday.  

“I have three children of my own. My twins are 14 and the youngest is eight. I did not attend their births so the experience was new to me,” Shongwe laughed.

If you are a police officer on patrol you learn to expect the unexpected, but this call was something else.

—  SAPS Const Prudence Diwe

“Diwe took control of the birth and thanks to God, everything went well.”

Diwe's first name, Prudence, means to be wise or have sound judgement, and that is what she displayed when she and Shongwe jumped into action.

She laughs brightly when asked about her unexpected weekend adventure.

“If you are a police officer on patrol you learn to expect the unexpected, but this call was something else,” Diwe told TimesLIVE Premium. 

Diwe was on patrol with Shongwe during the early hours of a mostly uneventful Sunday morning when the call came in.

“At about 3.30am radio control said there was a man and a woman next to the road who were in need of assistance.”

When Diwe and Shongwe arrived on the scene on the outskirts of Secunda, they found a “strange” situation waiting for them.

“There was a delivery motorbike parked to the side and a man was bent over a woman lying next to the road,” Diwe said.

“We suspect they were on their way to hospital on the motorbike when the woman's contractions became too much.

“We could immediately see the woman was in extreme pain, so we could not question her. Jabulani pulled our vehicle closer so we could use the spotlights because all the street lights were out.

“Once we had light I lifted her dress and I could see the head of the little baby, already out.”

Diwe, who has a two-year-old daughter of her own, told TimesLIVE Premium there was no time to panic.

But with no medical kit, the two improvised to ensure a smooth delivery. 

“We remained calm. Shongwe fetched gloves from our vehicle. These are the gloves we use for stop and searches. He stayed by her head and helped her with breathing exercises. I stayed below and held the baby, helping it along as it started to emerge further,” a proud Diwe said.

“It was a little boy. I rolled him up in Jabulani's police jersey and a little baby blanket the man and the women had with them and presented her son to the mother.”

By that time an ambulance was already on its way. “The paramedics arrived just in time to cut the umbilical cord.”

Shongwe said they felt bonded with the little boy.

The mom and baby are in Evander Hospital and they are apparently doing fine. I wish we knew more, but we will find out [later]. On Sunday things moved too fast to exchange numbers.

“The hospital told us they are doing fine, but we are back on duty and plan to look for the father at the shop where he works. This little guy feels like family to us and we don't even have a picture with him.”

Mpumalanga police commissioner Lt-Gen Semakaleng Daphney Manamela commended the officers for going the extra mile.