Ex-MEC saves boy from bridge

2010-03-23 10:41

Port Elizabeth - Former Eastern Cape public works MEC Christian Martin snatched away a 5-year-old boy his father was threatening to throw from the notorious Van Stadens “Bridge of Death”, the Herald reported on Monday.

Martin was on his way to Hankey in the Eastern Cape on Saturday and stopped near the bridge after seeing policemen trying to negotiate with a man holding his son and threatening to throw him over and then jump himself.

He told the man to think of his child, who was very frightened.

After a while the man started to calm down and on seeing this, Martin moved closer and grabbed the boy when his father was distracted by one of the policemen, who restrained the man.

Martin said he had told Premier Noxolo Kiviet of the latest incident at the bridge, where officials have tried several measures to stop people from jumping to their deaths.

Plans include erecting a large barrier that people cannot climb over, but since a proposal in 2008, this has not been done yet.

Last Wednesday, Knysna traffic policeman Zalisile Mginywa, 32, was the 75th person to commit suicide from the bridge.

- SAPA