NSRI expands lifesaving mission with Club Med South Africa
According to the NSRI, the partnership has also created employment opportunities for 40 lifeguards, most of whom are from local communities.
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has marked a significant milestone after being appointed to provide professional water safety and lifeguarding services at the newly opened Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari resort on KwaZulu-Natal’s North Coast.
The appointment of the non-profit organisation (NPO), announced as the resort officially opened on Saturday, follows a formal tender process in which the NSRI was selected to oversee water safety across the resort’s aquatic facilities.
ALSO READ | Watch: Dis-Chem Foundation helps keep the NSRI ready when the ocean calls
The service includes structured supervision at six swimming pools, a dam and the public beach, where NSRI lifeguards will work alongside KwaDukuza Municipality lifeguards, who remain responsible for bather safety on the beach.
According to the NSRI, the partnership has also created employment opportunities for 40 lifeguards, most of whom are from local communities and have been trained and certified by the organisation.
The rescue institute said the initiative strengthens water rescue capacity on KZN’s North Coast as tourism and recreational water activities continue to grow.
It added that the programme equips lifeguards with professional qualifications and practical experience, helping to build long-term water safety capacity in the region.
Resort manager of Club Med South Africa, Barq Guessoum, said they were proud to partner with the NSRI.
ALSO READ | NSRI to lower flags in honour of fallen Australian rescue volunteers
“The NSRI’s reputation for excellence in water safety made them the natural choice to help keep our guests safe at our pools and on the beach,” Guessoum said.
We are confident that our guests will enjoy the resort’s facilities, knowing they are in the most capable hands.
NSRI chief executive officer Mike Vonk said the appointment reflected the organisation’s reputation and decades of experience.
“Club Med’s trust in the NSRI to fulfil this role is something we are very proud of,” said Vonk.
“It is a strong endorsement of the capability we have built across our organisation over many years. That capability was equally evident in the way Station Commander Mike Bishop and the crew at Station 41 Ballito supported our training and operations team as they established operations at the resort. It speaks to the strength of the NSRI network.”
ALSO READ | NSRI warns of dangerous spring tides ahead of Easter weekend
Vonk said while many South Africans associate the NSRI with dramatic sea rescues, preventing drownings before emergencies occur is equally important.
“Many people know the NSRI through dramatic rescues at sea. That will always be central to who we are. But our mission is equally about drowning prevention: keeping people safe before an emergency happens. Lifeguarding, water safety education, survival swimming, public rescue equipment and emergency response are all part of the same drowning-prevention mission.”
He said the Club Med partnership demonstrated how the NPO could apply its specialist expertise in a professional environment while remaining true to its mission.
“As an NPO, our mission is to save lives and prevent drowning. Putting our expertise to work in environments like this is our mission in practice,” said Vonk.
“This work creates employment, builds local capability, upholds high safety standards and extends the reach of our lifesaving mission.”
ALSO READ | Spring tide surge prompts NSRI safety warning for coastal visitors this weekend
Vonk added that the appointment benefits both visitors and the broader community.
“This is exactly where the NSRI should be: helping to shape safer water environments before incidents happen. It is good for guests, good for the region, local lifeguarding employment, and South Africa’s broader water safety culture. It shows that our mission has real value in many different environments.”
The NSRI said its appointment at Club Med South Africa Beach & Safari serves as a reminder that professional water safety is essential wherever people gather around water, ensuring risks are managed before emergencies occur.
