"It was like he was Denzel Washington or Keanu Reeves in an action movie," motorist Jeanelle Pillay said.

Mark Basson, a former fire-fighter and paramedic, had stopped at the intersection to help the driver of the truck which was being stoned by striking truck drivers. But he ended up saving not only the life of the truck driver but also of other motorists and pedestrians at the Crompton Road and Old Main Road intersection.

"I was travelling along the road with my wife in another car behind me. I immediately noticed that a Simba truck was being stoned in front of me.

"I pulled over to the side of the road and signalled to my wife to carry on so she would be out of harm's way," Basson said yesterday.

When he got to the driver's side of the truck, Basson realised that the truck driver was injured after being assaulted and stoned by the strikers.

"The truck had hit a bakkie. The driver was unconscious and I realised that his foot was still on the accelerator. I mounted to the side of the truck.

"The driver was slumped over the steering wheel, and I tried to control the vehicle.

"I realised that once the bakkie was free, the truck was going to move onto oncoming traffic. I tried to reach over to the handbrake but I could not because the driver was in the way," he said.

The runaway truck started to move towards oncoming traffic.

Hanging on the side of the truck, Basson managed to make a wide turn to take the vehicle onto a large grassy patch.

"The vehicle hit a tree and came to a stop," he said.

Basson then called emergency services while he tried to treat the driver on scene.

Basson's heroic act has made him a hero on Facebook.

The injured driver was taken to St. Augustine's Hospital.

"I learnt that his name was Mr P Govender, and I was shocked to learn that he had undergone brain surgery," he said.

Expecting the worst, Basson went into the ICU to find that Govender was wide awake. "He thanked me for saving his life."

Bosson said his instincts as a firefighter and paramedic kicked in when he climbed the vehicle.

"I didn't think twice. I would do it again. It's my passion to help in situations like these," the father of one said.

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Comments

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Sat May 25 16:39:48 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 1, 2012

!!Sinudeity!!

Police must go Marikana on these stone throwers. Big ups to Mark.
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Oct 1, 2012

Chichi7

Well done for saving the lives of many. Now, regarding the stone throwers, let me be the police commissioner for 24hrs!!
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Oct 1, 2012

candilious

Well done A Hero indeed ....


@Sin- Morning
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Oct 1, 2012

!!Sinudeity!!

candilious - Morning candi.

Hope you had an awesome weekend.
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Oct 1, 2012

DrunkenMaster

You deserve a BELLS.
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Oct 1, 2012

Lehipi

Mr Basson is my hero, had it not been for his timely intervention lives could have been lost.. the problem with mob psyche is that people forget that they could be affected by the problem they create, had Basson not intervened maybe a car ferrying a relative of one of the stone throwers could have been hit with fatal consequences.... I maintain that pople who egage in such VIOLENT strikes should be shot dead by the cops finish and klaar...
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Oct 1, 2012

Papage

I dont know why workers have become so violent this days, or is it true that this are the " Bo Siyanyova of 1986"? If they dont get what they want they destroy everything? this barbaric act will not take us anywhere, but destroy our own properties, why burn trucks, why block the roads, it is uncalled for, Unions must be held responssible for the mess, thay must pay for the destruction, how many trucks destryed now? over 20 and each truck cost around R1.5m. Come on people stop it
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Oct 1, 2012

candilious

@Sin - Indeed


@Papage-So true hey...but makes one wonder who feuls these guys after working for that salary just to wake up one morning and decide today we shall be remebered " bARBARIANS
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Oct 1, 2012

newsnexus

Well done Basson! I think this guy's action put the strikers in a very bad light. (They look like a bunch of mamparas now). Strikers who turn violent should be shot, period.
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