A Port Elizabeth man who braved choppy sea conditions to save two students from drowning was awarded the national lifesaving bravery award.
Retired municipal pool superintendent Peter Brits, 69, saved the lives of college students Mzuvele Mqikwa, 23, and Tyhoba Sihle, 26, in July 2017.
The two were part of a group of 44 first-year mechanical engineering students from the Ingwe TVET College in Lusikisiki who had been in the city on a four-day training exercise.
They had decided to stop along the beachfront before leaving the city.
The award was bestowed upon Brits during the General Tire National Lifesaving Championships in Port Elizabeth in April.
He was only able to receive the award earlier last month as he had been out of town.
Brits declined to comment.
Bravery awards committee convener Stanford Slabbert said: “Peter is one of the oldest recipients of a bravery award.
“Hobie Beach is usually so safe, but the strong easterly winds can turn it into a washing machine and a death trap.
“Those two young men were very lucky that Peter saw them get into trouble and acted immediately. He put his life at risk to save them.”
Slabbert said that Brits, who was acknowledged for bravery along with 13 other people, was the only recipient of the award in Nelson Mandela Bay for the period under review.