Man survives brush with death in Klein Windhoek river

FARAAZ Tayob was lucky to escape with his life on Friday evening when the car he was driving was swept away by the raging Klein Windhoek river.

His brother, Muhammad Moosa, told The Namibian that Tayob had been stung by a scorpion and was travelling to the nearby house of a colleague in order to get a lift to hospital. He found his way blocked by the river where it crosses Hebenstreit Street in Klein Windhoek, near the Dagbreek school.Moosa said Tayob stopped the car at the edge of the river, but was hit unexpectedly by a huge wave and carried downstream.He managed to get out, only to find his shoes stuck in thick mud.He then somehow managed to get out of his shoes and made it to the river’s edge.He was later picked up by a passerby and taken to hospital.According to Moosa, Tayob sustained no serious injuries.”We are very, very happy our son and brother is alive … we thought we had lost him,” said Moosa, speaking for the family.”The car is no big concern,” he added.The car was found on Saturday, close to the Gevers Street bridge, having been swept along by the river for more than 200 metres and damaged beyond repair.The car, an Audi estate, belonged to Cellular Cash and Carry, at which Faraaz Tayob works.A huge crowd gathered on the bridge to watch the car being pulled out of the river, which took a breakdown crew and members of the public over four hours.They broke into applause when a winch truck eventually hauled the car over the river and up a steep embankment onto the street.”This is the entertainment of the day,” said one onlooker.”I’ve been here since eight o’clock”.Earlier, members of the public with four-wheel drive vehicles had attempted to move the wreckage, but without success, leading to one would-be rescuer getting stuck in the mud.He found his way blocked by the river where it crosses Hebenstreit Street in Klein Windhoek, near the Dagbreek school. Moosa said Tayob stopped the car at the edge of the river, but was hit unexpectedly by a huge wave and carried downstream. He managed to get out, only to find his shoes stuck in thick mud. He then somehow managed to get out of his shoes and made it to the river’s edge. He was later picked up by a passerby and taken to hospital. According to Moosa, Tayob sustained no serious injuries. “We are very, very happy our son and brother is alive … we thought we had lost him,” said Moosa, speaking for the family. “The car is no big concern,” he added. The car was found on Saturday, close to the Gevers Street bridge, having been swept along by the river for more than 200 metres and damaged beyond repair. The car, an Audi estate, belonged to Cellular Cash and Carry, at which Faraaz Tayob works. A huge crowd gathered on the bridge to watch the car being pulled out of the river, which took a breakdown crew and members of the public over four hours. They broke into applause when a winch truck eventually hauled the car over the river and up a steep embankment onto the street. “This is the entertainment of the day,” said one onlooker. “I’ve been here since eight o’clock”. Earlier, members of the public with four-wheel drive vehicles had attempted to move the wreckage, but without success, leading to one would-be rescuer getting stuck in the mud.