FROM THE HELM
CAPE TOWN: NSRI, 1 Glengariff Road, Three Anchor Bay 8001; PO Box 154, Green Point 8051 Tel: +27 21 434 4011 Fax: +27 21 434 1661 Visit our website at www.searescue.org.za or email us at info@searescue.org.za
www.facebook.com/SeaRescue @nsri youtube.com/c/NSRISeaRescue
The story of Enoch Mpianzi and the Nyati School Camp made headlines recently, stirring educators and officials to criticise and condemn, calling for investigations, actions, heads to roll! But, in fact, Enoch’s story that week was just one of more than 10 children who drowned in a short period. Fatal drownings in South Africa, 30% of which are children, are a daily reality. All drownings are preventable. The systems we bring to society are what will prevent these tragic incidents, save our children, prevent the trauma to families and the associated personal and economic loss. The truth is, we don’t have a culture of swimming or of safety in our country, and it is easy to blame individual teachers or event organisers, abrogating our responsibility as a society to mitigate drowning systemically. Swimming isn’t a compulsory part of the education curriculum. None of the schools our water safety instructors visit has a swimming pool, and very few are near a municipal pool where children can learn to swim. Swimming is a survival skill yet it is barely on the radar of education. Something is wrong. Surely the system should deal with things that could save your life before dealing with other learnings. The Minister of Education can threaten individuals all he likes, but the fact is that he is complicit in Enoch’s fatal drowning. As are we all. Sea Rescue is investing significant effort and your funds in both primary and secondary prevention of drowning. In 2019 we educated more than 530 000 children in water safety and in 2020 we launch our Survival Swimming programme to teach children to float and get themselves to safety, so that they have the skills to survive if they unexpectedly find themselves in water. We believe we can make a difference – if we can reach more than a million children a year, by the end of basic education every child should be able to swim to survive. At the same time we have to address our culture of safety. You will not find a Sea Rescue volunteer, trained and skilled as they are, not wearing a lifejacket and personal protective equipment at sea. Why? Because they have seen the consequences. They have pulled drowning victims from the water. People say, ‘Culture eats strategy for breakfast.’ In this case culture could save your life or that of your child, a friend or a loved one. Partner, collaborate, team up: we need every ounce of help we can get to save lives in puddles, ponds, dams, canals, oceans, baths, latrines, trenches and buckets all over South Africa. Join us!
@searescuesa
THE CREW
DR CLEEVE ROBERTSON, CEO
THE PUBLISHING PARTNERSHIP: MANAGING EDITOR Wendy Maritz / ART DIRECTOR Ryan Manning / BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Nic Morkel / ADVERTISING MANAGER Sameegha Wolhuter / EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Mark Beare / MANAGING DIRECTOR Susan Newham-Blake / PRODUCTION DIRECTOR John Morkel. ADDRESS PO Box 15054, Vlaeberg 8018 / TEL +27 21 424 3517 / FAX +27 21 424 3612 / EMAIL wmaritz@tppsa.co.za
SEA RESCUE: OFFICE +27 21 434 4011 / WEB www.searescue.org.za / PR/COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Megan Hughes CELL 083 443 7319 EMAIL meganh@searescue.org.za / COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Craig Lambinon CELL 082 380 3800 EMAIL communications@searescue.org.za PRODUCED FOR THE NSRI BY The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 15054, Vlaeberg 8018. Copyright: The Publishing Partnership (Pty) Ltd 2019. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited without the prior permission of the editor. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not the NSRI. Offers are available while stocks last. PRINTING Novus Print / ISSN 1812-0644
2 |
SEA RESCUE AUTUMN 2020
