The City of Cape Town’s (COCT) lifeguards and other emergency services have responded to more than a dozen non-fatal drownings since the start of the festive season.
According to the COCT, the latest incident was reported on Sunday, January 2 where a female in her 30s was transported to a hospital from St. James Beach, while a 30-year-old male received medical attention before being transported to a hospital from Monwabisi Beach.
The COCT says the number of fatal drowning incidents recorded along the city’s coastline stands at 10, since September 2021.
Also read: 10-year-old girl drowns at Strand Beach
COCT Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Patricia Van der Ross said that their wish for residents and visitors is always just to have a safe and enjoyable experience at public facilities.
“I want to convey my sincerest condolences to the families who have lost loved ones to drowning this season. To those who have been hospitalised or are recovering from the trauma of non-fatal drowning, I wish you a speedy recovery,” Van der Ross said.
Over the new year’s weekend, a total of 27 272 children were tagged at participating beaches. A total of 38 children were also reunited with their families, including 10 at Strandfontein, and five at Camp’s Bay.
Also read: Fatal drowning at Sea Point Promenade
Van der Ross further mentioned that the Identikidz initiative is once again proving its worth as an extra layer of protection and peace of mind for beachgoers.
“To those beachgoers who are making use of the project, we say thank you, and if you haven’t yet, next time you visit the beach, please stop by and find out more about it, and how it can benefit your children.
“To all of our staff doing duty on our beaches, from the lifeguards to the Beach Buddies to the Identikidz staff and officials from our sister departments. While the peak of the festive season is now behind us, we are mindful that there are still a few more weeks of school holidays left, which means our beaches and public spaces will remain fairly busy,” Van der Ross reiterated.
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