Children remain most at risk as South Africa marks World Drowning Prevention Day
While many South Africans naively associate water safety with sun-soaked beach outings and summer pool parties, the fatal reality is that drowning a silent killer that respects no calendar.
Tragic figures from the National Sea Rescue Institute reveal that nearly 1,500 people drown across the country each year, with children under the age of 14 accounting for nearly 29 per cent of those fatalities.
Marked globally on 25 July, World Drowning Prevention Day serves as a stark reminder that families often invite tragedy simply by dropping their guard during the colder months around unmonitored home pools, farm dams, rivers, and coastal waters.
Ruan Vermaak, communication manager at CrisisOnCall, stresses that emergencies do not follow the seasons, noting that drowning is one of their most frequent call-outs, despite being largely preventable.
