This brave boy jumped into a burning taxi to save his friend from certain death

Most little kids would run a mile if a fire threatened their safety, thinking only of how they could get away from danger as soon as possible.

But not Likhanyile Duma. His only mission: to rescue his friend trapped inside a burning taxi. The eight-year-old was among a group of Pietermaritzburg schoolchildren being ferried home from their primary school one afternoon in March, their voices a blend of laughter and chatter about the day’s adventures and the homework that awaited them. 

Likhanyile was seated near the front of the taxi, unaware of the drama that was about to unfold. Suddenly a plume of smoke began to seep from the vehicle, prompting the driver to urgently evacuate the children.