Community unites to help an injured man
Community groups acted swiftly to help the man who was injured by a tractor.
An employee of Vision Air Brakes in Geduld was run over and injured by a tractor on Wednesday.
“The tractor experienced what is called fuel starvation. It is when the tractor runs out of diesel. The employee inspected the fuel station which is between the two front tyres. It’s hard to tell whether or not the tractor is in neutral or in gear because of the way the tractor is designed,” said co-owner Marius van der Westhuizen.
“When he touched the fuel station, the tractor jerked, causing it to run over him.”
The employee was airlifted by emergency services and taken to the hospital for surgery.
“We called an ambulance and struggled to get one because none were available in Springs. I called Danie Roote of Joda Med. He was there almost immediately to take charge of the situation,” said Van der Westhuizen.
The employee was given a drip and stabilised.
Roote called a medical helicopter and the patient was airlifted to a hospital in Alberton.
“Since the company’s conception 27 years ago, this is our third injury on duty because we take our safety protocols seriously. We also treat all our employees like family because we care for them,” said Marius.
Marius cautions against the spreading of false information as it is dangerous.
“People should be praying for his recovery and offering words of support instead of spreading false and hurtful information,” he said.
He thanked Joda Med for their speedy service, the local CPF groups for handling the crowds and cordoning off the area and local churches for their prayers and words of support.
Marius told the Advertiser on Monday that the employee was discharged from the hospital over the weekend.
“On Saturday morning, X-rays of the left leg/foot showed four broken toes and a fractured foot. They were so impressed with his recovery that they discharged him on Saturday afternoon. He’s at home resting and recovering well,” he added.
