Taxis and Strangers Help Hit and Run Victim in SA Spirit of Ubuntu

When a 21-year-old University of Pretoria student got knocked off his motorbike last week by a car that cut in front of him, it was a group of unlikely Good Samaritans that rushed to his rescue – minibus taxis and an unknown fellow student on his way to an exam.

In a post on Facebook, the student’s mom – Member of Parliament Bronwynn Engelbrecht – thanked the taxis and student for their fast and brilliant reactions in saving her son (who is captain of the South African Under-23 underwater hockey team). Her post, highlighting the wonderful spirit of Ubuntu in Tshwane, has since gone viral.

Engelbrecht wrote on Tuesday 6 December: “On his way to write an exam at the TUKS Mamelodi campus this morning, my son Elrich Engelbrecht was involved in a hit and run accident on his Motorbike.

“A Taxi driver tried to corner the red CITI GOLF as it sped away, while several other Taxis cordoned off Elrich to prevent any vehicles from accidentally riding into the accident scene.

“A Tshwane Paramedic on his way to work, disembarked his taxi and went to assist Elrich, calling an Ambulance and then personally being part of the team that brought my son to the Wilgers hospital.

“An unknown student called Francois, also on his way to write an exam, stopped and after getting my cell number called to inform me about the accident. Francois then stayed with the destroyed bike for longer than an hour, till we could collect the bike.

“None of my son’s belongings were stolen from him ,and after several hours in theatre to insert steel pins into his open femur fracture & repair other multiple injuries, he is alive and safe!

“My deepest GRATITUDE to all the amazing people – Francois the student, the amazing Taxi drivers, the Tshwane paramedics and the Tshwane Metro that crossed my son’s path today and demonstrated that we are a GREAT nation of CARING PEOPLE! I SALUTE EACH OF YOU!!”

#Sjoe #Goosebumps #GoSouthAfricans