A 16-year-old girl is being praised for her quick thinking after intervening in an apparent suicide attempt by her father at their home in the eThekwini area on Wednesday.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) said paramedics and reaction officers were dispatched to the residence shortly after 13:00, following an urgent call from the teenager. The exact location has been withheld.
On arrival, responders found a 49-year-old man lying on the ground outside the house and barely responsive. He was stabilised at the scene before being rushed to hospital in a critical condition, where he is receiving urgent medical care.
Reaction officers were informed that the teenager had discovered her father hanging from the outdoor rafters and acted swiftly by cutting him down before calling for help.
It was further established that the man had earlier sent messages to his wife indicating an intention to end his life following an argument between the couple earlier that morning. According to the wife, similar messages had been sent in the past and she did not respond on this occasion.
Police have been informed, and the incident remains under investigation.