| | Hluhluwe's Patrick a national hero 
Hero Patrick Mthethwa is hoisted up by (left) Lennie Naidoo – President of the SA Emergency Services Institute, and (right) Thabo Mlambo – Chief Fire Officer of Rural Metro at Hluhluwe, while his SAPS friends look on 'It is not the size of your armour, but the size of your heart that counts most' Laurie Kemp A HLUHLUWE-based firefighter was hailed a hero at a function held to celebrate his finalist status in the Debis Emergency Hero of the Year competition this week.
Patrick Mthethwa is a Rural Metro firefighter based at Hluhluwe's Big 5 Municipality, and was nominated for his bravery above and beyond the call of duty after he captured six suspects involved in an armed robbery and the fatal shooting of a police officer.
He did this all while completely unarmed, but brandishing a firearm he knew held no magazine.
He was selected as one of just seven national finalists by a validation committee after being nominated for the award by Lennie Naidoo, President of the SA Emergency Services Institute.
The award honours emergency services staff from all disciplines, including fire-fighters, medical services, paramedics, rescue services, disaster management services, policing and law enforcement departments.
Nominations are received from all over the country, with all nominations being carefully judged according to a strict set of criteria devised specifically for the awards.
Ms Nomathemba Malinga of Debis Fleet Management said, 'We have travelled all over the country, meeting the seven finalists in this moving competition – but you, Patrick, have really put Hluhluwe on the map.
'The people of this town and the area you serve can know that they have a selfless emergency service here, with members who are willing to put their own lives on the line to protect their fellow citizens. Thank you for that.' | |
No comments:
Post a Comment