Accolade for search and rescue team
These members have a broad range of training, which they have furthered at their own cost and time.
In the last year, Port Shepstone’s Search and Rescue/Dive Unit team attended to 431 call outs, 131 recoveries and 161 rescues.
The team consisting of Sergeant Mark Banjo, Warrant Officer Francois Pretorius, Warrant Officer Romel Da Rosa, Constable Romano Thompson and Warrant Officer Gawie Nel recently received the runner-up award in the category of medium risk team of the year at the annual Saps National Excellence Awards in Midrand.
The team was praised for ‘always going above and beyond their call of duty,’ being on standby and making numerous sacrifices.
The Port Shepstone Search and Rescue Unit was formed about 24 years ago, with Pretorius as the commander since 2000.
“I am privileged and honoured to have represented my team/unit at the ninth annual police excellence awards alongside other recipients, colleagues and close friends. I am beyond proud of this team for being acknowledged for another year of hard work,” he said.
This is not only towards their primary function of search and rescue/diving, but they also assist with tracking, crime prevention, missing persons, inaccessible body recoveries and evidence recoveries.
They are also paramedical and rescue trained and often asked to assist with medical house calls, and give up their time for community work with schools and businesses.
These members have a broad range of training, which they have furthered at their own cost and time.
They have the potential and capacity to follow and adhere to rules and accept and be subject to external authority figures.
Due to their dedication and ability to work as a team with all other services and departments, the unit is well-known in their community.
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