A 19-year-old Grade 12 learner of Bushbuckridge became a hero when she saved the life of a newborn baby on Thursday March 3.

Natasha Malinda was on her way to school for her afternoon classes when she saw a naked baby in the bush next to the path.

ALSO READ: 11-year-old takes up taekwondo against bullies

“I was walking from home in College View to school, when I heard a child crying. When I got closer, I found it was a baby. He was lying there with the umbilical cord tied up with wool. I called the police, who immediately arrived. They permitted me to hold the child. We went to the police station to give a statement, and later to the hospital, where the child was found to be in good health,” said Natasha.

She said over the past few days she had been praised as a hero, but it all changed over the weekend when some of the nurses chased her away.

“All I wanted was to just see the baby. I developed strong feelings for him, and we have managed to bond in a short space of time. I even named him Lufuno, which means ‘love’ in Venda,” she said.