Another festive season has come and gone, and with it more than a dozen drownings across our region despite initial reports suggesting the number was much lower.
In Richards Bay alone, six people have tragically lost their lives through drowning.
While all drownings occurred in areas officially classified as non-swimming areas, the authorities cannot simply turn a blind eye and absolve themselves of the responsibility of bathers’ safety.
People cannot be expected to stay out of the water in recreational areas, especially on extremely hot summer days.
As one of our readers commented in a recent ZO Facebook post – all potential beachgoers cannot be expected to descend on Alkantstrand, the only official swimming beach in the area.
Lifeguards go beyond the call of duty, all too often attending to drownings or near drownings at areas to which they are not posted.
But there are not enough of them to ensure all popular swimming areas are covered.
Signage, too, must be addressed.
Take the Bay Hall area for example.
The non-swimming sign has been tampered with, giving it the opposite meaning entirely.
Yet, this and other popular swimming areas such as the Small Craft Harbour, Pelican Island and Palm Beach, don’t appear to have any signs warning people that swimming is at their own risk.
But even so, can authorities really justify no precautionary measures such as lifeguards at all popular swimming areas, especially during the festive season?
People are going to swim, despite it being against the rules, so would it not be of greater benefit to all to provide lifeguards with amenities such as shelter and a lookout platform at all popular swimming areas?
Each swimming area also needs to be equipped with a public address system so lifeguards can communicate with bathers, as at Alkantstrand.
It is logical to think that, by taking these preemptive measures, less strain would be put on rescue and recovery units, and the current complement of lifeguards would not be thinned out each time a drowning occurs at an area outside of their posting area and they are removed from their stations.
