Duck rescue halts Joburg traffic

A family of ducks trapped on a busy Joburg highway were rescued by what has been described as the heroic action of a taxi driver and a paramedic.

Johannesburg - Traffic on the N1 north, just before William Nicol Drive, Fourways was brought to a halt on Monday night for a family of ducks trapped on the busy highway.

In what has been described a heroic action by a taxi driver Leonard Tshabalala, and a paramedic, Max Cohen, the family was eventually rescued.

Shortly before 7pm on Monday night, a motorist approached a paramedic on duty in the area. The motorist was close to tears. He informed the paramedic that a family of ducks was trapped in the fast lane of the N1 north.

“Unfortunately, before we could respond, the paramedic was dispatched to reports of a serious motor vehicle collision, but he called into our emergency operations centre to request assistance,” said Emer-G-Med's spokesman, Max Cohen, who responded to the scene.

He arrived to find that a taxi driver, who had stopped in the emergency lane of the freeway, was frantically running around trying to keep the ducks out of harm’s way, containing them to the far right shoulder of the highway.

Taxi driver Leonard Tshabalala

Cohen immediately stopped traffic and assisted the taxi driver in herding the family of ducks; a mom, dad and five ducklings, off of the busy highway.

Once they were herded to the other side they were each lifted over the barrier and happily waddled to the river below - safe and sound.

Emer-G-Med thanked Tshabalala for his bravery and compassion.

anna.cox@inl.co.za

@annacox

The Star