“IF I had the opportunity to have a father like him again, I would take it 10 times over.” These are the words of Fazel Fareed as he mourns the death of his father and a cherished figure in the fishing community, Goolam Fareed Essack.
Also read: #SardineRun2024: Boat capsizes in Umgababa
Fazel said his father was the best and was part of the fishing community for more than 60 years where he taught most of the guys who are sardine-netting today.
“He was also the only man in the entire coast that made and repaired nets. So, for the other netters, it is a great loss. As a person, he was a man with a golden heart and never left a fellow fisherman or any person in distress,” he said.
Since the news broke about the death of the skipper and his crew mate, Sandile Cele, following a tragic start to the sardine run on June 11, when their boat capsized while netting in Umgababa, condolences have continued to pour in for the family. It is clear that Goolam had been a well-known, loved and respected member of the fishing community for many years.
Dalene Heath, who knew him from her fishing days, said he was a legend. “Uncle Goolam always took time to help everyone,” she said.
In an episode of the Angler News South Africa podcast with Vinesh Soogreem, he said that day three of the sardine run had four netters out in search of the silver shoals, which they were abundantly awarded.
“It was a day of hope, enthusiasm and hard work in preparation to have everything lined up to keep the excitement of the sardine run going, however, this day turned to one of sorrow and sadness for everyone in the fishing industry as they lost a colleague, dear friend and legend,” he said, adding that a lot of the netters said they would not go out on Wednesday out of respect for Goolam on the day of his funeral.
On the day of the incident, the National Sea Rescue Institute’s (NSRI) spokesperson, Craig Lambinon, said that at 08:16, NSRI Rocky Bay, an NSRI lifeguard, an NSRI Durban crewman, the SA Police Services, Police Search and Rescue, Netcare 911 ambulance, eThekwini Fire and Rescue Services, KwaZulu Emergency Medical and Rescue Services (EMRS), Metro Search and Rescue and the KZN Surf Lifesaving Network were activated by eThekwini surf lifeguards on duty at Umgababa Main Beach, reporting that a boat had capsized at the backline surf zone.
According to Fazel, the boat’s motor cut off just before the last breaker on the backline and capsized after being hit by a wave.
Lambinon said the capsized commercial vessel had four men onboard. “eThekwini municipal lifeguards and fellow boats in the area launched a rescue operation. Three men were rescued from the surf zone to the shore by eThekwini lifeguards and fellow fishermen. One of them, skipper Goolam, is suspected to have suffered a medical condition on the beach. After all efforts to resuscitate the man were exhausted, sadly, he was declared deceased,” he said.
After an extensive air, sea and shoreline search was conducted for the missing man, Cele, he was later found deceased.
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