Captain Pottie Potgieter is named a true #LocalHero
The Lowvelder Hero of the Month, brought to you by West Pack Lifestyle, gives much deserved credit to a local unsung Lowveld hero. For the month of November, Lowvelders nominated Capt Pottie Potgieter as the #LocalHero.
Capt Potgieter of the White River SAPS diving unit has been a pillar of the community for quite some time, from recovering bodies to helping community members retrieve their bicycles from dams and rivers.
Lowvelder recently reported on such a case, in which Potgieter and a colleague assisted a very excited six-year-old Jané Barnard to retrieve her bicycle when she rode it into a dam by accident. Some of the community members who nominated Potgieter said he and his family made sacrifices; they had not gone on holiday for over 20 years. He does an extremely thankless job, and without him, many people would have lost their lives or would never have known what had happened to their loved ones.
Nominate a #LowveldHero – and they could win!
Potgieter said it was a huge surprise for him to be nominated. “I feel very honoured that the community recognised us and appreciate what we do,” he said. When asked what keeps him motivated after 11 years in his profession, he said it was the fact that they can give families closure and assist those in need.
Do you know of a local hero who deserves more credit? Nominate him or her to be named the Lowvelder Hero of the Month, aka #LowveldHero, brought to you by West Pack Lifestyle. The winner of this monthly competition will win a R1 000 West Pack Lifestyle voucher and a chance to be interviewed and photographed to appear in the newspaper.
