NORTHERN CAPE – Three SAPS members from Kakamas who rescued an elderly bedridden man and three children from a burning house have been praised for their heroic actions.

On the evening of Saturday, 18 June 2022, Sergeant Neville Mouton, Constable Melvin De Wee and Reservist Constable Ricardo Van Wyk were patrolling in Witrand Kakamas when they noticed a house that was burning.

The members immediately reacted and gathered water in buckets in an attempt to extinguish the fire.

Quick thinking and heroic action by Reservist Constable Van Wyk in entering the burning house and rescuing the occupants have averted a potentially lethal situation. As the front door was already engulfed in flames the member without hesitation, broke the window to gain access to the elderly man. He carried him to the window where he managed to hand him over to police members outside who took him to safety.

At that stage, a young child was heard crying in the house and again Reservist Constable Van Wyk climbed back through the window into the burning house where he looked for and found three children aged 2, 4 and 11 on a bed. The children were grabbed and again handed over through the window to the other members who took all three children to safety.

The fire was later extinguished however, the house was badly damaged by the fire.

The cause of the fire is currently being investigated.

Relatives of the elderly man and the children expressed their gratitude towards the actions of the three members in saving their family members.

Colonel Dries Witbooi, the Station Commander at Kakamas SAPS thanked the members for putting their lives at stake to ensure the safety of the community members. This incident demonstrates the bravery shown by police officers as they go about serving our communities.

Source: South African Police Service