What do a train driver, a Boerboel and a dog behaviourist have in common? Nothing, generally speaking, except for one fateful day Riyaad Sampson, driving a Prasa passenger train, spotted a lone and lost Boerboel roaming along the Southern Line train tracks between Steenberg and Lakeside stations.
What do a train driver, a Boerboel and a dog behaviourist have in common? Nothing, generally speaking, except for one fateful day Riyaad Sampson, driving a Prasa passenger train, spotted a lone and lost Boerboel roaming along the Southern Line train tracks between Steenberg and Lakeside stations.
Instead of blaring the siren and forging ahead, potentially harming the dog not to mention the passengers whose safety he was directly responsible for, Sampson simply stopped the train dead in its tracks.
“It was a routine trip early one morning. About 50 m before approaching Lakeside, I noticed there was something on the tracks. And my job as a train driver is to make sure there are no obstructions on the line, because obstructions cause derailments.”
Sampson admitted to putting his passengers’ safety and, by implication, his own on a fully loaded train first, but his magnanimous act of saving the life of a wandering Boerboel has tugged deeply at the South’s heartstrings.
So much so, Ward 71 councillor Carolynne Franklin and Paws-a-While jointly organised an event to honour his humane act at the CHS Life Centre in Kirstenhof on Thursday 14 March.
Here Sampson could tell the story that made him a local hero: “I slowed down, not quite sure what it was. As I approached, I noticed it was a dog sitting, calmly staring out over the mountains and a river nearby.”
Yes, he recognised all the plusses such a story would engender — the warm-heartedness, the humour, the life-affirming drama of it all.
Being a stranger to the Boerboel Sampson deemed it best to keep a safe distance and opted to hoot the siren lightly to urge the dog on, pressured as he was to keep the train on schedule. But when the Boerboel remained sitting leisurely enjoying the view he then opted to inch the train forward, to shunt the doggie along.
“This continued until we reached the station and, by that time, bystanders at the station had taken note of what was happening.”
Franklin recalled it was at this moment that the story went viral on community WhatsApp groups when a video was shared on the Kirstenhof Neighbourhood Watch Group.
That’s when another hero, dog behaviourist and fellow member of the neighbourhood watch Jamie Pieterse stepped in to ensure the dog’s safe return to its rightful owners.
“The moment the video surfaced I got my things and grabbed some dog treats and a leash to appease the dog,” he told People’s Post. “I walked along the tracks from Steenberg to Lakeside Station, following paw prints to try and track him down, and then all the way back along the grassy planes with little luck.”
Soon enough, after questioning police and locals, Pieterse managed to find the Boerboel unharmed and returned him to his owners.
The Cape of Good Hope SPCA’s spokesperson Belinda Abrahams was thrilled to celebrate Sampson for his simple gesture, which testified to a little humane compassion that saved the life of, not just a dog, but man’s best friend.
She recited a poem “Just a dog” by Richard Biby that spoke to the significance of safeguarding all animals. “‘I hope that some day they can understand that its’ not “just a dog” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a man” or “just a woman” . . .’ In this line, we’re reminded that compassion and kindness lie at the very heart of humanity. Without it we are lost as a society, because to dismiss the plight of an animal as insignificant is to dismiss the qualities of compassion and empathy that make us truly human.”
This story is like a gift that keeps on giving, as it fosters awareness among fellow train drivers, passengers and the broader community.
Portia Gordon, Prasa’s train-operations and customer-service manager, said this spoke volumes about the train driver’s character: “This is such a feel-good story and I saw the viral reaction; Riyaad was a celebrity, and because it was on my line I was so proud of him.”
Gordon said it also drew attention to the need for sirens that alert people to railway occurrences, especially those known to elicit the attention of residents. “Thank you for honouring Riyaad. I know our drivers, and now he has set a precedent for other train drivers to effect the same kindness and humanity, particularly towards animals in danger on the train tracks.”
Franklin chimed in: “I often get complaints about the sirens. However, new-generation trains like Prasa’s move so sleekly and silently we’ve actually seen an increase in animals on the Southern Line. Old-generation trains used to be loud enough to warn animals on the tracks of the impending danger, but this shows the importance of sirens in alerting both people and animals.”
People’s furry friends not only enrich their daily lives with unconditional companionship, but have a way of bringing a community together, testifying to love, compassion and little acts of kindness that go a long way.
