Family trying to track good Samaritans via Facebook

A family is trying via social media to track down good Samaritans that helped a woman after her car got trapped in floodwater.

Marilyn Kriel‚ 69‚ was driving to work on Friday morning at 6am when her car became partially submerged in water after heavy rains on West Avenue in Centurion.

Her son-in-law‚ David da Silva Medeiros‚ said Kriel saw other cars driving through the water and decided to also do so because “it didn’t look deep”.

“Taxis came from the front and caused these waves that I think damaged the engine and the car broke down.”

Kriel looked out the window and saw more water coming down the road. The water rose to the level of her door which could not open anymore. She phoned a family member who told her to open the window before the car battery died to climb out the window.

She waded through the waist-high water to a nearby traffic island before a couple in a bakkie approached.

“She got in and they drove her out of that situation and dropped her off at the road where my sister-in-law picked her up.”

Da Silva Medeiros said Kriel could not remember any details about the couple‚ only that they drove a bakkie.

“She was so in shock. She was so upset with what happened. She can’t even remember their names. She can’t remember what type of vehicle‚ what colour it was‚ nothing.”

Kriel is unharmed apart from hurting her hips climbing out the window.

“She is a tough lady.”

Kriel is currently having nightmares about the water.

The car was towed out and the damage is still being assessed.

Da Silva Medeiros posted information about the incident on Facebook to try to track down the people in the bakkie.

“We would like to thank you personally.”