‘I believe my sister is still alive’

INLSA

TRIBUTE: Flowers on a Cogmanskloof bridge near Montagu mark the spot where the missing ambulance driver, Miriam Cekiso, disappeared when her vehicle was washed over the edge. Photo: Courtney Africa

Jason Felix

RESCUE workers in Montagu have found the ambulance that landed in the Cogmanskloof River on Tuesday, but are still searching for the driver, a mother of one and paramedic at the local hospital.

Miriam Cekiso, 39, who served the Montagu hospital – , first as a medical volunteer and then as a full-time paramedic for two years – was on her to fetch colleagues from Montagu hospital when her vehicle veered off the steep R62 road and landed in the river.

Emergency service rescuers and municipal workers used tons of sand and brick in an attempt to lower the water. The water slowly subsided as they worked to move it away from the road.

The rear end of the ambulance appeared at 9am yesterday and rescue personnel from Cape Town were called in to assist.

The ambulance was pulled out of the water with a crane and placed at the side of the road, according to rescue workers on the scene.

HOPEFUL: Miriam Cekisos brother, Mpumolelo Klaas. Photo: Courtney Africa

INLSA

Cekiso’s brother, Mpumolelo Klaas from the Eastern Cape, arrived in Ashton today believing that his sister was still alive.

“It is very sad, but I still believe in God that my sister is alive. Until we find her [body] we believe that she is alive,” Klaas said.

He described her as a respectful and passionate paramedic.

“Everyone knew and had respect for her. She loved her job and she treated it as the biggest thing in her life.

“She was made to become a paramedic. The community back home loved her extremely.”

Her mother Lehane Xagxa said: “I firmly believe that my daughter is alive. At this stage we do not know where she is. I pray that she is still alive where ever she may be.

“She was a lovely child, she loved people and could communicate with anyone in the world.

“I am so sad by the accident in which she was in, but there is a reason for everything.

“I do not know why she was involved in the accident, but someday I will know.”

Cekiso has a 10-year-old daughter, Natasha.

Emergency service spokesperson Keri Davids said the rescue crew would remain in Montagu to continue searching the area for Cekiso.

The R62 road was closed on Tuesday

The flooding river had damaged parts of the road and traffic was restricted to one lane. Traffic officials later closed the road and motorists had to use the Tradouws Pass as an alternative route.

Municipal workers cleaned the road after a taxi was found floating in the river near the Cogmanskloof bridge.

All three bridges adjacent to the Cogmanskloof river were damaged by flooding. Municipal engineers have managed to repair the under layers of the bridges.

The R62 was re-opened for traffic at 5pm yesterday.

jason.felix@inl.co.za