An Eerste River man said he may not be alive today were it not for the quick thinking and action of an off-duty Ottery Fire Department officer who had spotted him in distress on the side of the road.

Nathan Gardiner fell seriously ill in the early hours of 22 May. He woke at around 00:30 feeling extremely nauseous and vomited repeatedly throughout the night. By 04:30, despite still feeling unwell he decided to drive his lift-club passengers to work. “I informed my passengers I was unwell and I would drop them off before seeking medical attention.”

Turn for the worse

Driving along Lansdowne Road, near the fire station, Gardiner’s condition took a turn for the worse. “I suddenly became extremely nauseous again. I felt feverish, weak and disoriented. I managed to pull to the side of the road, just past the mosque, to vomit. My vision became blurry and I struggled to remain focused.”

It was at that moment that Officer Pamela Zotwa of the fire station, who was on her way to work, spotted him from across the road. “A well-presented lady approached me, calmly identified herself as a fire officer so that I could feel comfortable accepting her help. She drove my vehicle, safely dropped my passengers off at their workplaces and continuously spoke to me to monitor my awareness and condition.”

Gardiner said what struck him most was not only her professionalism, but her genuine compassion, especially given she had travelled from Eerste River by public transport and still had a distance to walk before her shift began. “I couldn’t help but admire her bravery, especially as a woman travelling alone in the dark, and yet she still chose to put her own safety aside to assist a complete stranger in need.”

Zotwa drove Gardiner to the fire station, where he was handed over to Officer Craig Apollis around 06:45. “He immediately checked my vitals, carefully observed my physical and emotional condition, and handled the situation with the same level of professionalism, compassion, and care,” said Gardiner.

Stomach bug

Having since returned to work after being diagnosed with a severe stomach bug, he said the two officers are an example of the kind of public servants South Africa needs. “As ordinary citizens of Cape Town we are grateful for public servants who genuinely care about people and carry their duties out with pride, dignity and humanity, both on and off duty. Not all heroes wear capes. Officer Pamela Zotwa, you may very well have saved my life that morning. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Jermaine Carelse, Fire and Rescue Services spokesperson for the City of Cape Town, said the City was incredibly proud of the actions of the officers and appreciated that the member of the public who was helped took the time to acknowledge them. “They are true ambassadors,” he declared, “and their actions, and particularly those of Officer Zotwa, show how our staff go above and beyond the call of duty. She is a credit to the service and we applaud her for her swift actions in this incident.”

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