A high school boy has been lauded for risking his life to save 33 tortoises trapped in the devastating fire that ripped through Betty’s Bay over the past few days.
Instead of fleeing, Corné Uys braved the choking smoke and flames to rescue the animals.
The fires in the Overstrand destroyed dozens of homes.
While the Overstrand Municipality said the Betty’s Bay blaze has been contained and mop-up and monitoring continues, water supply to the area has been cut off due to melted pipes.
Water tanks are supplying those without water.
Corné posted on social media describing scenes in Hermanus as a “burning furnace”.
“What a crazy two days it has been. People being evacuated and houses nearly burning down. We were evacuated from school because the fire came too close.
GUTS: Corné Uys in the smoke
“As soon as I came out myself and my dad Hugo Uys jumped into action. For the next three hours I was in and out of the fire, rescuing tortoises and other wildlife,” he said.
“Power has been off for the past two days from the fire. The fire was devastating throughout the whole mountain range and I wish I could’ve done more. Luckily we managed to save a handful and we released them this morning in the nature reserve,” Corné said.
His post elicited thousands of likes and shares, with Butterfly World Animal Sanctuary in Stellenbosch saying: “You carry what no one could ever take away from you... character, compassion and the guts to act. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.”
They offered Corné and his dad a family year ticket.