Eye witness feels man died as a result of negligence

A DURBAN man is shaken after witnessing a man drown at uShaka Beach on Sunday afternoon.

The man, who wishes to remain unnamed in case of intimidation, said he was with his sister and friend at the beach on Sunday when he noticed a man around 20m out to sea with his arms in the air, shouting for help.

“He kept screaming for help, then going under. Everyone on the beach saw him. One of the lifeguards on duty ran into the sea with a board to try rescue him. He was helped by surfers to get him onto the board, but the man dropped off the board twice while it took them around 10 minutes to get him back to shore. I am not sure why they did not take the zodiac out to rescue him as it was lying on the beach,” he said.

The eyewitness said by the time the lifeguards had got the swimmer to shore his head was hanging back.

“They put the man on the sand and foam was coming out of his mouth. I have a basic understanding of first aid, and am shocked that no one started CPR or checked his vitals straight away. You could see he was unconscious as his eyes had already rolled back.”

The man said the lifeguard had his finger on the man's pulse in his neck when the first two Netcare medics arrived on the scene.

“They put a oxygen mask over the man's face, even though foam was coming out of his mouth. He wasn't responsive at all and couldn't breathe. They still didn't do CPR, and instead put up an IV. They only started compressions 20 minutes later,” he said.

He said he saw the head lifeguard arriving and telling a girl on the beach to delete a video she had taken of the incident. Chris Botha from Netcare 911 has responded that this is always done to protect the privacy of the individual.

“Brian from Netcare 911 did his best to save the man, and reports from Netcare said he tried for over an hour before the man was declared dead. I feel he could have been saved if CPR was administered at the first instance by the lifeguards. I would've helped, but it was not my place and I would probably have been arrested. Although I know the lifeguards are passionate about their jobs it was obvious that they are not adequately trained,” said the visibly shaken man as he spoke to Berea Mail.

Chris Botha said there is a clinical department which will go over the facts of the incident to ensure all procedures were covered and to double check what procedures were followed.

“The paramedics worked hard to save this man. There were a lot of people at the scene, and we took over from the lifeguards when we got there. CPR was administered and the man was put on a ventilator and intubated while rescue drugs were also given. Protocol was followed,” he said.

According to Botha an IV is usually only put up after CPR has started.

eThekwini head of communications, Tozi Mthethwa, said: “The matter relating to an alleged drowning incident is being investigated by the relevant department at the eThekwini Municipality, and appropriate action will be taken subject to the outcome of the investigation.”