Durban — Rescue workers used a rope system to bring to the surface an injured security officer who had fallen down an excavation in Canelands early on Saturday.
The Reaction Unit South Africa (Rusa) officer had reacted to a call-out a when service delivery protesters began looting a truck at 3.09am.
Rusa spokesperson Prem Balram said: “Officer Smangaliso Dlamini, 28, was monitoring the situation when he slipped into the excavation that was covered by overgrown vegetation.
“The Rusa member sustained a dislocated shoulder. Due to his injury, he was unable to climb out of the cavity.”
Medi Response said that shortly after 4am, Medi Response paramedics and search and rescue units were called out to the Verulam area.
“On arrival, paramedics found a male security officer in extreme pain lying at the bottom of the cliff. Medi Response rescue personnel along with the eThekwini Fire Department set up an integrated rope system to gain access to the patient. Once the patient was stabilised by advanced life support paramedics he was brought up the cliff with the rope system,” Medi Response said.
“The patient was taken to a nearby hospital for further definitive care.”
Commenting about the service delivery protest, police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said that police responded following reports of a protest and found that a group of about 100 people had blockaded the road with burning tyres and other rubble.
Netshiunda said that no other incidents were reported and no one was arrested.
Meanwhile, on Friday afternoon, two people were left injured after the vehicle they were travelling in overturned and landed in a stream in Buffelsdraai.
Balram said Rusa members arrived at the scene at 6.09pm and found a red Ford Figo lying on its roof in a stream.
“According to witnesses, the driver failed to negotiate a bend when the car left the road and overturned. Both occupants were ejected,” Balram said.
“They sustained injuries in the accident and were transported to hospital by ambulance.”
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