A Johannesburg cop and a helpful member of the public have rescued two young girls from a third-floor window ledge after they woke up from a nap alone and climbed out.

The incident, which took place while the girls’ mother popped to the butcher’s to buy some meat, took place in the city of Johannesburg in the South African province of Gauteng on the afternoon of 12th February.

According to local reports, Sergeant Tebogo Mailula, 33, of the Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) was on patrol with three other cops when he noticed a large crowd outside a block of flats on the corner of Lilian Ngoyi and End streets.

Two young girls, aged 5 and 2, had climbed out of their open window and were trapped on the outside ledge.

Wayne Minnaar, public safety spokesperson for the City of Johannesburg, said: “The officers could see two little girls walking on a ledge of the third floor of a building where the crowd was.

“A member of the public (was) trying to reach out to them from another ledge of a lower floor.

“Mailula acted very swiftly and proceeded into the building. He went to the flat of the open window on the third floor, but he found it locked.”

The police asked the building caretaker to open three apartments on the third floor while a helpful resident climbed a street pole to offer help and calm down the young girls.

Minnaar said: “The officers discovered that the mother had left the girls sleeping inside the flat to go to a butcher. The girls woke up and realised they were alone and climbed out of an open window.”

The spokesperson added: “The mother was surprised to see officers at her flat on her return.”

Sergeant Mailula left the two girls in the care of the young mum.

Public Safety head David Tembe has commended Sergeant Mailula for his brave actions.