Rustenburg-Police officers at New Brighton police station in the Eastern Cape, helped a 25-year-old woman to gave birth, and helped another with money to go home.
The woman walked into the police station urgently requesting an ambulance on Friday night, as she was in advanced labour.
"The community service centre (CSC) commander, Sergeant Khayakazi Jodwana contacted the ambulance service however as time lapsed, the woman indicated that she is about to deliver the child. Sgt Jodwana and another civilian woman who was at the community service centre at the time, had to act fast to assist the woman in the child birth," Eastern Cape police spokesperson, Colonel Priscilla Naidu, said.
"Blankets were brought and at about 02:00 on Saturday morning, 17 December 2022, the woman gave birth to a boy. As it was load shedding at the time, Sgt Jodwana and other colleagues at the station had run to the nearest hospital which was a TB hospital to get assistance for the mother.
"When they could not be assisted, they ran all the way back to the police station. A police vehicle was sent to another hospital and accompanied the ambulance to the police station. The umbilical cord was then cut and the mother and baby were taken to hospital for further treatment and care."
She said after the ambulance had left, the kind hearted members at the police station collected money among themselves and assisted the civilian woman to get to Plettenberg Bay.
The woman was stranded in Gqeberha and had no money to get to Plettenberg Bay hence her visit to the police station. She was dropped off in New Brighton from Mdantsane and for her own safety decided to spend the night at the police station.
Acting district commissioner, Brigadier Ronald Koll commended the members for their actions in ensuring the safe birth of the child.
"It is not every day that our police officers are faced with such situations however given the circumstances, they ensured a safe birth and managed to calm the frantic and frightened mother. They also made sure that she was comfortable and that the baby was kept warm while waiting for professional medical assistance.
"Good police-community relations are imperative for gaining trust between police and its citizens. The goodwill displayed by the members towards the civilian woman is commendable," Brigadier Koll said.
IOL