Heroes return

Eight members of Ekurhuleni’s Urban Search and Rescue Team (USART), set up camp, rebuilt a clinic, treated patients and assisted locals in picking up the pieces after hurricane Haiyan devastated large parts of Abuyog.

The team was part of a 48-person contingent sent over by Rescue SA to provide much needed healthcare to residents.

Among the doctors, paramedics and firefighters were Mr Eric Bothma from Edenvale, Mr Ben Bothma from Springs and Mr Gerald Moswathupa from Boksburg, for who the Philippines rescue was their first.

Fellow team members, Mr William Ntladi who is also Ekurhuleni’s emergency services spokesperson, Mr Thomas Zulu from Duduza, Mr Chris Smit, Mr Colin van Niekerk and Mr David Tshabalala from Boksburg, have all participated in previous international rescues including Haiti and Japan.

Last week, members of the team met with the NEWS to replay their experiences in the Philippines and talk about the Nelson Mandela Clinic they set up.

“This was unlike any other mission we have done. In the past we had to do body recoveries and rescue missions; this one was a humanitarian mission,” Mr Ntladi said.

Soon after landing in Abuyog, the team set up their base camp at a local community college.

From their base, the team made work of setting up a temporary clinic, which would later treat up to 800 patients every day.

“We called the clinic the Nelson Mandela Clinic, as a tribute to Madiba for his contribution to the world,” Mr Moswathupa said.

“During the mission, our general skills were put to the test. We put a roof on the clinic and helped rebuild part of the city’s hospital,” said Mr Ntladi.

The entire team agreed that the people of Abuyog were among the friendliest they had ever met.

“We learnt a lot from the people. When we came back, we came back richer. No matter how difficult you think your life is there is always someone who has it worse. We always complain about things in our lives but then you look at these people who have nothing left and yet they are willing to help wherever they can,” said Mr Moswathupa.

“The people were thanking us wherever we went,” Mr Bothma added.

“Eventually we would think our names were ‘thank you for coming to help us’ said Moswathupa.

Whatever the team did, the community would try to assist.

“If we were carrying equipment someone would stop, ask us where we were going and offer to take us,” said Mr Moswathupa.

“If we needed anything, the people would go out of their way find it. They would try to help in any way possible,” Mr Bothma said.

“The people and doctors trusted our team so much that one day they called us to help with the resuscitation of a patient who had fallen into the water,” said Mr Zulu.

“We built crutches for patients and they appreciated it,” he said.