Hero cop braves icy water to rescue bridge plunge woman

Constable Bruce Brits

A policeman is being hailed a hero after he leaped into a river to save the life of a woman, who had plunged 40m off a bridge on Sunday night in an apparent suicide attempt. 

Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Gerda Swart said Constable Bruce Brits was among several officers who had responded to an alert that a 36-year-old woman had jumped off the Ben Schoeman Bridge in Despatch, in the Eastern Cape, at around 20:00 on Sunday. 

Swart said they were searching the area around the bridge when they noticed the woman lying face down in the river.

"Police members at the scene summoned police divers to assist with the recovery of her body, but while they were waiting for the divers to arrive, Brits noticed the woman moving."


Swart said Britz had, without hesitation, jumped into the ice-cold water and pulled the woman onto the riverbank before stabilising her until paramedics arrived.

The woman was taken to Netcare Cuyler Hospital in Uitenhage where she was admitted, and is reported to be in a stable condition.

Despatch acting police station commander, Captain Flippie de Jager, praised Brits for his heroic act.