Despite a lifelong fear of water, Cape of Good Hope SPCA inspector Lwazi Ntungele bravely stepped into a fast-flowing canal near Mfuleni’s Covid City informal settlement to rescue a stranded dog caught on debris.

At the SPCA’s Animal Hospital, veterinarians treated the dog named Drifter for paraphimosis, a painful emergency condition requiring immediate surgery. Without intervention, Drifter would have faced severe suffering and would very likely have succumbed to Sepsis, the animal welfare organisation explained.

“I have always been afraid of water, but at that moment all I could think about was that this dog needed me and that need was greater than my fear,” Ntungele said.

Ntungele and a fellow colleague, Inspector Lee Prins, had also earlier this year received free swimming lessons from Finz Aquatics, a Grassy Park swimming school, which generously agreed to assist after being approached by the SPCA. Their patient and practical water-safety training proved invaluable during the rescue of Drifter. 

“When I stepped into that water, I remembered everything they had taught me,” said Ntungele. “It was cold and fast, and I was scared. But I focused on the dog, and I could hear Coach Nabilah’s voice in my head.” 

He reached the shivering, emaciated animal and carried him out. “When we got to the other side, we were both trembling. But we were safe. I just needed a minute before I could drive,” Ntungele added.

Drifter is now recovering under the care of the SPCA veterinary team. They confirmed that he was eating well, gaining strength, and learning that he is safe. In time, he is expected to be ready for adoption.

It was a life-changing rescue for both Drifter and Ntungele. “I have learned that courage is not the absence of fear,” he said. “And that it really is love that makes you brave.”

Since the rescue, Ntungele adds that his confidence in the water had grown. “I am not completely over my fear, but it is different now,” he said. “Every lesson with Coach Nabilah helped me believe I could do this, and when it mattered most, I proved to myself that I could. I am very grateful for that.”

The Cape of Good Hope SPCA said Drifter’s rescue reflected the organisation’s mission to protect animals through compassion, courage and community. From Finz Aquatics’ generosity to the donors who make rescues possible, every act of kindness helps save lives.

“Love, in its simplest form, is what drives us and what saves them,” said Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson, Belinda Abraham. 

“We are sincerely grateful for every act of love and kindness that makes our work possible. From the hands that rescue to the hearts that give, every gesture makes a difference.”

Cape Times

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