Durban - As head of Visible Policing in Phoenix, Colonel Teddy Munusamy, is always responding to calls of distress.
But when his own child landed in a life-and-death situation at the height of last week’s massive storm and floods in Durban, there was nothing he could do but pray.
Heavy winds blew two shipping containers on to a car his son, Constable Edsandis Munusamy, was travelling in on Rotterdam Road, Bayhead.
The 31-year old from Chatsworth was trapped inside the crushed vehicle for hours as his close friend, Vasie Chetty, lay dead in the driver's seat.
As water levels rose in and around the crumpled wreck, Edsandis called his dad.
“My son was frantic and in shock. I was on the phone with him for two hours while also trying to get rescue services out to him,” Teddy told POST this week. “My son could not move; he was trapped and the water started to rise up to his chest. I could hear in his voice that he was frightened and I felt so scared and helpless; I thought I was going to lose him.”
Teddy said his son was in the area as Chetty, a former policeman, had “some information” to pass on to him.
“He fetched my son with his private vehicle from the Durban Central SAPS. As they were driving along Rotterdam Road, Vasie pointed out to my son that containers were flying. Within seconds two containers landed on their vehicle, crushing Vasie to death.”
Teddy said he would never forget the call from his son. With all the odds against them, all they could do was pray.
“I put the phone down on my son for a while and my wife Doris and I just prayed. I believe it’s our prayer that saved him. He walked out of the wreckage with just a few scratches.”
Edsandis was discharged from hospital on Saturday. “The ordeal has left him emotionally traumatised,” his father said. “He watched his friend of many years die in front of him. He is currently undergoing counselling.”
Chetty was cremated on Saturday.