The Cape of Good Hope SPCA has hailed one of their own as a hero after he came to the rescue of an 80-year-old motorist who fell asleep behind the wheel.
The SPCA’s Compassion in Farming Project leader, Thembi Nomkala, was driving on the N2 towards Stellenbosch when he witnessed a car swerving dangerously across the road ahead of him.
Nomkala says they were driving between Baden Powell and Spine roads at about 2.30pm, when he saw the woman’s car veering off the road, up onto a sand dune, and rolling back onto the road in an erratic manner.
As he drove past her, he started hooting frantically, thinking the driver had perhaps fallen asleep and, after a few moments, the car came to a standstill.
The driver, 80-year-old Di Sendin, was “very shaken and alarmed”, but Thembi was there to check on her and stay by her side as she gathered her thoughts after the frightening incident”, the SPCA wrote on its Facebook page.
HERO: Thembi with Di
“Di explained that she had heard Thembi’s hooting and that it jolted her awake after she must have dozed off.
“Thembi made sure Di got home safely after her frightening ordeal and they were able to see each other once again at the annual Behind The Scenes event at the SPCA.”
Thembi told Cape Talk that he flashed Di, urging her to stop further along: “There are squatter camps next to Khayelitsha and it’s not safe, even for me.”
Law Enforcement officers drove past the scene soon after and were able to assist.
“I followed her all the way to St. James until she was safe,” Thembi added.