Henry Knox, 42 - who was sucked in by a whirlpool while searching for missing flood victims in the Hennops River in Centurion - was so dedicated to his work that he had his first proper holiday in 18 years in November last year, according to his fiancée, Francis van Vuuren, 47.

"My brother was a very special man who absolutely lived for the fire department and to save the lives of others," said Donn Knox, 44, on Tuesday at his brother's house in Dorandia in northern Pretoria.

He spoke of the award his brother was to have received.

Van Vuuren, Knox and his two sisters, Irene van Wyk, 54, and Renda Gouws, 50, received numerous visitors on Tuesday, including friends, fellow firefighters, General Daniel Manganye, head of the Tshwane metro police and Dikeledi Lehobye, Tshwane's mayoral committee member for community safety.