Second Umdloti drowning in six months puts lifeguard facilities under scrutiny

The second fatal drowning at Umdloti tidal pool in six months has reignited concerns over lifeguard response times and beach safety infrastructure.

Bandile Ntaka (22), from Mhlasini near Verulam, drowned on June 15. His body washed up three days later in front of a home at the end of North Beach Road.

CCTV footage seen by the Courier shows lifeguards took more than six minutes to reach Ntaka. This is well outside the 30/120 protocol – a water safety standard used by municipal lifeguards and enforced by Lifesaving South Africa that requires lifeguards to identify a person in distress within 30 seconds and reach them within 120 seconds.

The footage captured the bather in distress, as well as restaurant staff and onlookers running to alert lifeguards. Six minutes later, two members of the public – one a restaurant patron who had leapt up from his dining table – were in the water near Ntaka, but no lifeguards had yet arrived.

The 1960s lifeguard tower was condemned and demolished in 2015. Since then, lifeguards have operated from temporary containers.

Umdloti Smart Village chairperson Debbie-Lee Gaines said the organisation has repeatedly raised concerns with municipal authorities about the need for a purpose-built lifeguard facility.

“In an emergency, access to the beach from the current lifeguard container is extremely difficult and dangerous. Lifeguards either have to jump a few metres on to a paved walkway, risking injury, or run around the building and down a ramp before they can access the beach,” she said.

Gaines said lifeguards also do not have a public address system, making it difficult to communicate with bathers.

She said the municipality had previously indicated that funding for new facilities had been allocated for the 2026/27 financial year, but the project now appears to have been delayed until 2028/29.

Municipal spokesperson Mandla Nsele defended the container’s location, saying it occupies the footprint of the former lifeguard building and allows oversight of both the southern beach and tidal pool.

He added that lifeguards are stationed at the northern steps and in the channels during peak periods. Nsele said the municipality also plans to install additional signage warning bathers to remain within their capabilities.