The Siyaswima Learn to Swim Programme kicked off this past weekend at the Ladysmith Town Pool.
The programme is headed up by the Department of Sport & Recreation, together with the Department of Education and KZN Aquatics.
About 150 children from the Uthukela District, who hail from disadvantaged backgrounds, converged on the pool to learn how to swim.
From recent statistics released, KwaZulu-Natal accounts for 40% of all drowning cases in the country. Hence this programme is aimed at teaching children how to swim and manage in the water if they encounter any difficulties.
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Programme partner KZN Aquatics are looking for talented swimmers who can make swimming a career and take up swimming full-time.
MEC for Arts, Culture, Sport & Recreation Bongi Sithole-Moloi attended the event, speaking to the children and making sure everyone felt welcomed.
The children were taught how to kick and float and move around in the water at the Town Pool.
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