Partnership to Prevent Drowning and Save Lives

Cape Town — The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is proud to announce the strengthening of its partnership with Stellenbosch University’s Division of Emergency Medicine following a joint presentation at the Stellenbosch University Emergency Medicine Symposium (SUEM) yesterday.

The collaboration between these two respected institutions was formalised last year through a Memorandum of Understanding. At the SUEM event on 10 April, NSRI’s Rescue Operations Director, Brett Ayres, and Stellenbosch University lecturer and medical specialist, Dr. Heinri Zaayman, shared more about the vision that underpins their work: building safer communities through research, education, and emergency medical excellence.

“I would like to recognise and thank SUEM’s Prof Sa’ad Lahri and NSRI’s Dr Cleeve Robertson for the groundwork they put into this project,” said Dr Zaayman.”Their vision got us to this stage of turning an idea into a partnership.”

“We are truly excited about this partnership,” said Ayres. “It brings together the real-world rescue experience of the NSRI and the academic and clinical strength of Stellenbosch University. Together, we are fundamentally reshaping how we understand and prevent drowning in South Africa.”

This collaboration addresses a pressing need. Drowning remains one of the leading causes of accidental death in South Africa, particularly among children and youth.

The partnership focuses on four key pillars:

1. Research: Joint studies on drowning patterns, prevention effectiveness, and post-rescue care, creating a data-driven foundation for action.
2. Education & Training: Integrating drowning prevention into emergency medicine curricula and offering specialised aquatic emergency modules.
3. Medical Oversight: Appointment of an Emergency Medicine Specialist to guide NSRI protocols and training in line with global best practices.
4. Community Outreach: Scaling up WHO-recommended interventions, training bystanders in lifesaving techniques, and raising awareness nationwide.

“This relationship will allow the NSRI to sharpen our focus and align our strategies more closely with evidence-based practices,” added Ayres. “It’s a big step forward in achieving our mission: Preserving Life and Livelihoods on and around South African waters through education, drowning prevention, and rescue.”

The NSRI and Stellenbosch University are committed to producing peer-reviewed research, hosting knowledge-sharing events, and engaging with policymakers to influence national and regional safety standards. With continued collaboration, both parties believe they can make a measurable impact—reducing drowning rates and increasing community resilience.