A local non-profit is turning to fishing to keep young people off street corners and away from drugs and alcohol, while teaching them a skill that could help feed their families. The tool is a rod and reel. The mission is much bigger.
As South Africa prepares to celebrate Youth Month in June, the Merewent Fishing Forum (MFF) launched a free youth fishing programme on Saturday, 23 May, at Brighton Beach on the Bluff. More than 250 learners and their parents answered the call, after invitations were sent to local schools.
The children arrived with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. Many had never held a fishing rod. By midday, their hesitance had turned into focused determination. They learned to read the tide, tie knots, and bait hooks with sardines. Protea angler Jace Govender walked among them, showing how to cast without tangling the line. The eThekwini Lifesavers Club explained rip currents and safe zones, while Metro Police spoke quietly but firmly about beach rules.
The forum’s chairperson, Mithesh Harricharan, explained the vision behind the group’s work.
“Living in the communities of Merebank, Wentworth, Bluff and Isipingo, we knew first-hand the hardships being experienced in these areas. Our common goal was to give back to our communities through fishing,” he said.
