“Service Is Still My Heart”: SA Man Who Once Helped Joburg Woman Give Birth Now Serves in North West
- A man once known for a dramatic life-saving moment in Hillbrow says he still shows up for people in his community in quiet ways
- He is currently working outside emergency services but continues pushing toward a return to frontline work despite ongoing challenges
- His story also carries a deeply personal reminder tied to a baby born during one of his most intense rescue moments
Source: UGC
A man once hailed for stepping in during life-and-death emergencies says he has never stopped helping people, even years after his story first went viral. In 2018 in Hillbrow, he assisted in delivering a homeless woman's baby on the side of the road; an experience that went viral.
Now based in Klerksdorp in the North West, Paballo Lobone is working as an admin clerk at Alabama Clinic while still trying to secure a formal role in emergency services. He says the instinct to assist strangers never left him, even as his career path shifted away from frontline emergency work.
“Here in Klerksdorp I help people whenever I come across them and they ask for help. Service is still my heart.”
Outside of his job, he continues informal community work, where he says he still takes part in community outreach and volunteer efforts when the opportunity arises. Speaking to Briefly News, he said:
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“That mindset from Johannesburg never left me. I also took part in community give-back events with local NGOs like TP Foundation by Mr Thabo Pelesane and Walk a Mile in my Shoes Foundation by Mr Brian Soul.”
Although trained in emergency, medical and rescue services, he is not currently working as a paramedic, firefighter or safety officer. He continues applying for positions in those sectors, hoping to eventually get formal emergency response work. He says his current role at a clinic still keeps him close to healthcare, even if it's not on the frontline, as he'd like.
“The biggest lesson I carry is to stay positive and never give up on your dreams.”
He recalls life-changing emergency moments
In 2018, while walking through Hillbrow with his cousin, Paballo noticed a crowd of panicked people across the street and went to check what was happening. He found a woman in labour and stepped in to assist, helping keep her calm and safely delivering the baby. The incident later went viral, turning him into a short-lived media hero.
“All those moments showed me the power one person has in emergency medicine and trauma care.”
He also recalls helping injured accident victims, assisting after a stabbing incident, and responding to a fire near his grandmother’s street. It was those experiences that pushed him to having goals in medicine and trauma care, including becoming a medical or surgical doctor.
“Those days taught me to stay calm under pressure and show up for people when it’s hard.”
Source: Facebook
The recognition that came after
His story has been widely covered over the years, from early features in South African newspapers to international attention in Japan, where his story reportedly featured in educational materials. He has also been profiled across multiple media platforms, radio stations, and community publications, and was even named SPAR Hero of the Week during that time.
Within all of that recognition, the most meaningful support came from ordinary people who reached out privately.
One personal reminder of his impact, he says, comes from the mother from the 2018 Hillbrow incident, naming the baby Pabalelo, after his own name, Paballo. That gesture has remained a moving and cherised reminder for him:
"That alone reminds me every day why service matters.”
More Briefly News Stories on acts of kindness
- A young boy selling tyres and food was uplifted after an anonymous hero shared his story in a viral video, drawing public attention and support for his situation.
- South Africans raised over R60,000 in support of a Cape Town petrol attendant who helped safely deliver a baby before paramedics arrived, praising his quick action in the emergency.
- Pretoria petrol attendants were rewarded with a R500,000 car after their act of kindness in helping a struggling woman, turning a simple moment of assistance into a life-changing gift.
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Source: Briefly News
