Clean track record for life guards

Kyle Cowan and Anelda Naudè

Allister follows his heart’s desire

Allister Bowers never thought that his hobby would put food on the table.

Allister had a passion for swimming from a very young age and even though he enjoyed every moment of it, he never knew it would be his main source of income in years to come.

At the age of 16 Allister received Natal colours for swimming with the help of his coach, Unwar Rawat in Pietermaritzburg. Mr Rawat, who was like a father to him, was the person who inspired him the most to pursue a career he both enjoyed and was passionate about.

Allister became part of the lifesaving community at the age of 18, for fun and fitness and to keep himself out of trouble.

In 2004 he worked at the Alexandra Pool in Pietermaritzburg, where one of his proudest moments in his career took place.

On January 1, 1700 people celebrated New Year’s Day at the pool. Allister was the only lifeguard to show and single-handedly saved 18 people on the day.

“You learn a lot about yourself on days like those,” Allister said.

Being a lifeguard came naturally to Allister and there is no career he would rather be pursuing.

Upon completion of his contract in Pietermaritzburg, Allister found his way to Newcastle in 2006 for a permanent post. “I wanted a permanent job to ensure the security of my daughter. I love my baby girl so much.”

His daughter is 13 years old and attends school in Pietermaritzburg. At this young age, she is already swimming for her school team and loves being in the water, just like her father. “She makes me so proud,” Allister said with a smile on his face.

To remain in peak physical condition, Allister goes to gym three to four times a week and eats healthy and nutritious food.

“Always follow your dreams; follow what your heart desires and follow your ambitions.” Allister advised.

Sipho reaches for the top rung

The love Sipho Buthelezi has for his work as a lifeguard will not be ending in the near future.

Since 1991, Sipho has been enjoying a life of swimming and fun in the sun.

In 1999 Sipho got serious about pursuing a career as a lifeguard and qualified in 2001. After that, there was nothing stopping him.

Sipho’s career started at South Beach in Durban, whereafter he came to Newcastle for nine months. After he completed his contract here, he moved back to Durban, completed even more qualifications and in 2007 he relocated to Newcastle for good.

A very proud moment in Sipho’s career will always be remembered. He was on duty when a few people were playing soccer next to the pool. They lost focus, people started screaming and a man was 4,4metres deep in the water. Sipho rescued the man out of the water and immediately summoned an ambulance. There was no response and the man had to get to the hospital. Sipho took matters into his own hands by taking man to the casualty unit.

Sipho is still going strong and aims to improve everyday.

“It’s important to work hard. If you really want something, you have to be willing to work for it. Get your qualifications and pursue your dreams.” Sipho advised.

Another day at the office for Nkululeko

For Nkululeko ‘Stix’ Mhlongo, saving lives is ‘another day at the office’.

Nkululeko started working as a lifeguard in 2003, also in Durban. He moved over to pools, and has been enjoying it ever since.

“I started swimming when I was nine years old. I joined a swimming club in my neighbourhood, and I heard about becoming a lifeguard from my friends there,” he said.

Along with the other life guards, Nkululeko concentrates on being proactive.

“We have been trained and know what to look out for. We scan the swimmers and put a stop to dangerous horseplay as soon as we spot it. That way, we can prevent incidents before they even happen.”

Asked to describe his lifestyle, Nkululeko smiled, saying that diet and training were a huge part of his life. “We need to keep fit. It’s not like I never have takeaways, but I try to keep it to a minimum,” he laughed.

His proudest moment was when he was able to buy himself a car and get a house, and he looks forward to starting his own family.

“I am happy doing this job. After you have saved a life, you are just happy you could prevent a tragedy. It’s what I do, and I enjoy it,” he concluded.

Brendon finds pride and dignity in saving lives

Saving lives, training people to swim and providing a valuable service to the community, Brendon Govender is finding it easy to be proud of his job.

Coming from a strong competitive swimming background, the step towards becoming a lifeguard seemed natural. “I am a good swimmer. I decided to use that skill to my advantage, and to the advantage of others,” he said.

Brendon follows a rigorous training regime and diet. He belongs to a fitness club, and swims and gyms every day. “I try to cut out fizzy drinks and fatty foods. I’m a big guy,” he laughed. “I have to keep on top of my game.”

He started his career as a lifeguard in 2010, and has enjoyed every moment. “It’s a challenge, but I enjoy it. We train hard and we work hard, but we are proud of what we do.”

Asked about the best way to prevent an accident at a pool, Brendon explained more about the techniques they use to scan the crowds of patrons for misbehaviour, distress signals and any other irregularities.

“It might seem strange, but sometimes there are actually people who come to a swimming pool who cannot swim. We scan the patrons and eliminate hazardous situations,” he said. “Why force yourself to rush to save a life, when you can prevent the incident from taking place?” he asked.

Brendon also finds a lot of dignity and pride in his work, and he said that the position came with a lot of honour, pride and dignity. The lifeguards rotate between the different pools in Newcastle, something that Brendon also enjoys.

He became a life guard to help others, and hopes to be able to advance himself in his career, teaching, saving and always training.

“You gain a lot of respect from the public. When you tell people that you are a lifeguard, they immediately find it intriguing,” he said. “We are here to keep swimmers safe who come to the public pools. It’s nice to know that people trust us to keep them safe,” he concluded.

Patrick develops the skills to teach

The power of knowledge can save lives. Teaching the skills you have to others, will inevitably affect their lives for the better.

Patrick Ngwenya has been developing all the skills he needs to save lives and teach people how to swim for 24 years.

A competitive swimmer who has earned Natal colours, Patrick started as a lifeguard Durban in 1990. Being an avid swimmer from a young age, he knew that one day he wanted to help others.

“I remember loving to swim from when I as very young. I grew up by the sea, and I loved diving and surfing,” he reminisced.

Patrick joined the SAPS, and wished to become a diver, however, the political climate in South Africa at that time did not allow him to progress. The next step was to become a lifeguard.

Happily married, Patrick remembered the times when he used to go diving, his wife crying until he returned safely. “She was always very frightened for me. But when I met her, I was like this. I loved swimming and diving. I could not change that.”

Patrick described his ability to teach people how to swim and educating them about water safety to be his proudest achievement. “As life guards, we need to get involved in the community, passing on our knowledge. At this moment, there is only one local Newcastle lifeguard. We need to get the local guys involved and teach them, so that they can continue to keep Newcastle’s pools safe,” he said.

He was also involved in teaching youngsters from townships in Durban the skills they needed to become lifeguards, and then eventually ensuring that they were able to find employment in the same field.

“I can proudly say that there are families that are being provided for by the skills that I have been able to pass on to these people,” he said.

Today, Patrick cannot imagine doing anything else. Saving lives has become his top priority in life, which shows in the lifestyle that he leads. He keeps a strict fitness regiment, training and swimming, as well as watching his diet closely.

“Being a lifeguard is not just a job. It’s a lifestyle. We commit not only to saving people from drowning, but teaching them the skills they need to prevent it from ever happening.”