Report from our CEO

”We went cashless in pursuit of an unqualified audit, but quantifying the impact will depend on whether an unqualified audit recovers the commitment of the state to fund us. “

In 2018, the three key short-term strategic issues I identified were volunteer sustainability, operational management and organisational structure and I am happy to report that we have made progress in all three.

The volunteer numbers are growing, supported by an extraordinary training effort and the innovation of what my trainers call the ‘zero to hero’ course. This is a full-time crew training course to bring volunteers to minimum operational readiness within two weeks! We have very professional volunteer crews, sustained by their own commitment and passion for growth and development. Their thirst for learning and attaining skills seems unequalled!

More information about our volunteers can be found in the Our People section on page 39.

The strength of our operational model is the agility, flexibility and independence of our Station Commanders and coxswains, who have absolute discretion over decisions of response and safety. Station Commander elections in 2019 resulted in significant movement, a function of a democratic management model at stations which ensures accountability to members at a local level. Our operational model is working for the NSRI, where very bureaucratic centralised models in other organisations often don’t.

The consolidation of the organisation in 2019 required a relook at the organisational structure and there will be significant changes and appointments in the future to address human resource management, fundraising, drowning prevention and operations. Operations will be split into two divisions: rescue operations (including lifeguarding) and infrastructure development and maintenance.

A major change in operations will be the appointment of managers to assist Station Commanders with the day-to-day administrative and logistical issues which their own work commitments as volunteers cannot accommodate. Drowning prevention, including water safety education, advocacy and survival swimming, will be managed as a department on its own.

In 2019, the sluggish economy and financial constraints within government have started to pinch and we are responding to fill the gap that a lack of national state-sponsored funding has created. Unfortunately, we fell short of revenue targets.

Local government and corporate funding have improved significantly, and our call centre effort is being sustained through our ever-popular car and debit order competitions, which remain registered as society lotteries with the NLC. The budget for 2020 is informed by concerns around support from government and the National Lottery. Unfortunately, in 2019 we were again unsuccessful with getting Lottery funding.

More information about our funding can be found in the Financial review section on page 51.

Three innovations in 2019 bear mention: » the Pink Rescue Buoy (PRB) programme, the new Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC) and the

JetRIB. The PRB campaign has now contributed to the saving of 57 lives, an incredibly simple technological intervention and very effective and low-cost instrument to save lives, recognised by the International

Maritime Rescue Federation (IMRF). » The first ORC was delivered to Durban and

ORCs two and three are in production for

Simon’s Town and Hermanus.

Our achievements operationally in rescue and water safety are exceptional. We rescued 949 people, disentangled 25 whales, completed 50 medivacs and initiated 153 lifeguarding operations. We trained 574 099 children in water safety and 156 children in survival swimming and produced a quality survival swimming manual in the process.

The JetRIB, a standard Yamaha wave rider, bonded into a RIB hull, is taking the surf rescue environment by storm – testing exceeded all expectations and this small craft will be rolled out immediately to replace our aging rescue runners and 4.2m inflatables, taking propellers out of the water in the surf zone.

More information about our vessels can be found in the Our infrastructure section on page 45.

Change has become a daily reality for staff and volunteers, as we grow the organisation to prevent fatal and non-fatal drowning. It is encouraging and inspiring to see how our people roll with the ‘swell’ and adapt to change by just getting on with the job. I am proud to work with such committed and passionate people.

In turning 60 this year, I am casting half an eye on the horizon, along with three other executive colleagues. Succession planning is something we are engaged in to ensure that there is consistency and continuity in leadership, with a focus on transformation. The new organisational structure will encompass six executives, including the CEO, which will ensure that at least three of the executives remain when the CEO, Fundraising Director and Director Capital Projects retire. The executive transformation target for 2024 is for 50% executives from previously disadvantaged groups.

The Sea Rescue community now makes a significant contribution to drowning prevention in South Africa and, together with partners, will gradually chip away at the 3 per 100 000 people fatal drowning rate.

More information about our drowning prevention can be found in the Our purpose section on page 14.

Strategically, we need to remain relevant to our entire community of 60 million South Africans and ensure their awareness of our programmes and their impact, so that we leverage off a broader donor base. Operationally we must move inland, particularly with water safety and survival swimming skill education and training. At the coast, we must increase our footprint to ensure that services are immediately accessible. To achieve this, we need to partner, collaborate and dovetail with every relevant organisation and the community of South Africa. It takes a village to save a life!

We stand on the shoulders of the men and women who have gone before us, selfless volunteers who over 52 years have saved in excess of 50 000 lives, we serve our country with humility and respect.

Dr Cleeve Robertson CEO, National Sea Rescue Institute