Three security guards went above and beyond the call of duty to help deliver a baby on the side of the road.
Richards Bay, South Africa (19 October 2020) – An act of kindness by three Richards Bay Minerals (RBM) security guards, Zakhele Thabo Mbuyazi, Siyabonga Nkululeko Zulu and Mphatheni Alan Sithole, helped a stranded woman who was in labour deliver a healthy baby boy on the side of a road.
The three were patrolling the access road of the company’s mining area as part of their daily routine when they noticed two women screaming for help. One woman was clearly in distress.
The ladies from Mbonambi were trying to hail down transport to get to the nearest hospital when the expectant woman went into labour. Quickly grasping the situation, Mbuyazi rushed to their vehicle, took out the first aid kit and returned to assist the woman. The others quickly turned the vehicle around to shine a light on the proceedings as it was still dark.
According to the guards, the women were close to hysterical, given the circumstances.
One of the women shared, “We had been on the streets for some time, seeking help, but no one was interested, until the RBM patrol car came to our rescue. We did not have an emergency contact number and did not know who to call; we were losing hope.
Once the baby was safely delivered, the guards called RBM’s Command Centre to report the incident, and the company ambulance was dispatched to the scene to take the mother and newborn baby to the hospital where medical staff took over.
Werner Duvenhage, RBM’s Managing Director commented: “We are so proud of our employees who did not hesitate to help someone in need. Their heroic efforts are testament to our company ethos to be our brother’s keepers. This is something I would encourage all of us to remember in these very difficult times.”
Duvenhage also said this incident was an indication of how valuable the first aid and emergency training, which RBM provides to its security and safety personnel, was in saving lives and dealing with emergencies.
Mbuyazi, who took the lead in assisting the pregnant woman, said he wouldn’t have been able to forgive himself had anything happened to the baby.
“As the ambulance took the family away to hospital, I had a flashback of how I lost my newborn baby in the past due to negligence and thought of how things could have been different had someone been there at the time. My baby would probably still be alive today,” Mbuyazi reflected.
“I am extremely proud of how we responded, and that mom and baby are both doing well,” he added.