An Eastern Cape farm worker sprang to the aid of a Uitenhage policeman whose official vehicle was swept off a low-lying bridge into a flooded river.
Police spokesperson, Warrant Officer Gerda Swart, says 29-year-old Thulani Njoli, witnessed the incident as the policeman tried to cross the Kruis River in Uitenhage after heavy weekend rain.
She says a strong current swept the vehicle off the bridge and into the water and it began to sink.
Swart says Njoli jumped into the fast-flowing water and took Warrant Officer Ashton Mew out of the vehicle before returning to collect his belongings, including a firearm.
She says it took nearly three hours to remove the police vehicle from the water using an excavator from a local framer, Case van der Touw.
Acting Station Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Irene Bezuidenhout praised the heroic efforts of Njoli.
