LSA Bravery Awards for
2022/2023
BA1 – Letters of Appreciation x 4
Armand de Koker (26), Tyler Bingham (30), Bryan Paul (31) – Saturday, 27th August, 2022:
The three Marine LC boaties responded to a capsized Seine Netters rubber duck in the surf zone off South Beach, Durban, just before 8.30am. They swam out, Tyler retrieved one crewman from under the boat, then all three ensured that the crew were returned safely to shore. They secured the boat and righted it, using the waves, keeping it away from other bathers.
Kenneth Kleinhans (21) – Friday, 9th December, 2022:
Torrential rain caused the Kliprivierspruit to come down in flood, and two vehicles were caught by the rising floodwaters whilst crossing the low-level bridge in Kibler Park, Gauteng. Alerted to the situation at about 8pm, Kenneth raced to the scene, but could not reach the victims when his vehicle became flooded. A large truck arrived and Kenneth jumped aboard and they edged closer. In the darkness, he tied a rope from the truck around his waist, and waded through the rising strong current to rescue three people from their flooded vehicles.
Reza Yon (48) – Sunday, 25th September, 2022 – Posthumous Award.
Media referred to him as the Hero Dad. Father of four, Reza was boogie boarding at False Bays Mnandi Beach, when three 14-year-old youths started shouting for help. They were caught in a strong rip current and Reza immediately grabbed the youth nearest to him and pulled him into shallower water. He then went after the other two and gave them his boogie board to hold onto, before a big wave rolled over and pulled him under. It was mid-afternoon.
Sadly, Reza drowned before help arrived. The two youths held onto the boogie board until they were rescued by the NSRI a while later, as there were no lifesavers on duty at the busy beach.
Reza Yon paid the ultimate price for his selfless act, and LSA bestows a Posthumous Letter of Commendation to his loved ones, recognising his bravery in saving three young lives that day.
Lloyd de Gier (52), Ezio Arrigo (52), Jean-Luc Koenig (31) – Monday, 26th September, 2022:
The 3 men were in the vicinity of Whalebone Pier, Umhlanga Rocks, at 17h30, when each one heard screams and realised that a 25year-old woman was drowning in the rough surf behind the rocks. Each responded immediately, stripping down and clambering over the rocks and swimming out to the woman, who was bobbing in the outgoing backwash and rip current. Ezio and Lloyd knew each other, but they did not know Jean-Luc. They arrived at the patient simultaneously and they teamed up to pull the unconscious woman towards the rocks, losing her a few times as large waves rolled over them. A large wave washed them over the rocks and bystanders assisted to get the woman onto the sand. CPR was applied before lifeguards arrived and took over. The woman survived, thanks to the quick reactions of each of her three rescuers, who risked their lives in the treacherous surf. Ezio is an oldies member of Umhlanga Rocks LC. Both Lloyd and Jean-Luc have no formal lifesaving training.
Liam Gallagher (17) – Saturday, 21st January, 2023:
Midday, returning from a deep-sea fishing trip, and having just navigated through the large surf in the river mouth, Skipper Brian Lange and Liam, a NSRI volunteer, were alerted to a drowning happening at Sand Spit Beach, alongside the river mouth. They immediately went back into the mouth and Brian manoeuvred the boat close to the patient. Ignoring his own safety, Liam jumped into the shark infested backline surf zone, swam to the man and placed a lifejacket on him. Liam then swam the man back through the rough surf to shore.
Lee Maree (41) – Saturday, 11th February, 2023:
It was a hot day and the former Margate nipper was enjoying a beach braai with friends at Oslo Beach, at about 13h00, when alerted to a 21-year-old student who was being swept out to sea by a strong rip current. Lee reacted immediately and swam out through the turbulent surf, reaching the drowning man at the backline. He secured the patient and returned him safely to the beach, after a difficult 600m swim. Medics treated the man for secondary drowning.
BA2 - Letters of Commendation x 7
Toby Finneran (31) – Sunday, 7th May, 2023:
It was 16h30 and the UK tourist and Ironman Triathlete, who had been in SA for just a week, was walking along the Seapoint promenade, at Queens Beach, when he noticed a person holding a RTB about to enter the water. He saw that a youngster was in trouble in the wave zone, just behind the rocks. He stripped down, grabbed the RTB and swam out 50m, through a gap in the rocks, and secured the young boy whilst being pounded by large waves. After getting out of the strong rip current, he swam the boy back through the gap to safety. He then attended to another distressed person on the beach.
BA3 - Letters of Commendation x 1
Edward Gutsche (46) – Saturday, 1st October, 2022:
Wearing a shortie wetsuit and flippers, Ed had been bodyboarding for over 1.5 hours at “Halfways”, between Kelly’s Beach and West Beach Pier. It was 9.30am and he was walking back towards Kelly’s when alerted to 4 family members caught in a strong rip current and being swept out to sea. He immediately relaunched into the surf, secured a young girl, gave her the bodyboard, and swam after the others. He brought each one back to the bodyboard, having to dive down to secure one of them. After getting them all together, and calming them, they were past the backline and 200m offshore. He used the leash to tow them out of the rip and shore-wards, through a gap in the rocks. The family rescue took about 30 minutes, and they did not require medical attention.
LSA Drowning Prevention Awards for
2022/2023
DP1 - Letter of Appreciation: 8 awards
DP3 - Certificate of Commendation: no award.
DP 2 – Letters of Commendation x 3:
Congratulations are extended to the 8 award recipients, who prevented possible drownings in each incident. This seasons oldest Drowning Prevention Award recipient is Port Shepstone resident and surfing icon, Heather Clark (51), and the youngest recipient is Troy van Niekerk (13) of Warnadoone.
Brief summary of each Drowning Prevention incident, in date sequence:
DP1 - Letters of Appreciation x 8:
Liam Bottomley (20) and John Jones (20) – Tuesday, 27th September, 2022:
It was midday when the two Milnerton LC members, at home, were alerted to a person being swept out to sea by a strong rip current off Sunset Beach, Milnerton. Liam paddled out on a long surfboard, while John ran along the beach for 400m before swimming out 100m with a RTB. They secured the semi-conscious male patient and were assisted by two NSRI rescue swimmers to return the large patient to the beach.
Kai Blatch (20) – Sunday, 20th November, 2022:
At about 17h35, the off-duty Clifton Lifesaver was surfing the large waves at Glen Beach when he noticed a young girl being dragged under water in the surf zone and 2 elderly men were trying to assist her. He immediately paddled into the surf line and pulled all three onto his surfboard. He got them away from the breakers and then swam them safely ashore, where he assisted with first aid, as the father had broken his ribs. All three patients were taken to hospital.
Sam Button (20) – Sunday, 4th December, 2022:
Just after 14h00, the off-duty Clifton lifesaver was surfing at Glen Beach, when he heard screaming and saw a woman drowning in the surf zone alongside the rocks. He immediately paddled across to her, dived down and pulled her to surface and rescued her. Once back on the beach, he ensured that she was recovering and friends then took her to hospital for observation.
Heather Clark (51) – Monday, 20th February, 2023:
At about 14h00 the Surfing icon and Instructor was busy with a lesson at St Mike’s beach. The strong easterly wind had created rough and messy surf conditions. She heard shouting and saw large man caught in a rip current and being swept seawards. She immediately paddled after him and grabbed him as he was about to go under. The drunk man froze once on the board and lifeguards eventually arrived and took him to shore and Heather paddled their malibu board back to the beach.
Trevor Burger (49) – Monday, 20th February, 2023:
Whilst walking his dogs on Glenmore beach, at 16h30, Trevor noticed a man in distress at the backline in the strong rip and rough surf. He grabbed a rescue malibu board from locals who had broken into the lifesavers clubhouse to get it, paddled out and reached the drowning man as he was about to go under. He effected the rescue and once back on the beach medics took over and transported the 35 year-old man to hospital.
Ryan Chandler (21) – Wednesday, 5th April, 2023:
The Milnerton LC member stopped for a surf at Victoria Bay en-route home after the DHL Surf Lifesaving Nationals in PE. Just after 16h00, when surfing in on the shore-break, he noticed a youth, aged 11, drowning in the rip current alongside the rocks. He grabbed the submerged youth and hauled him onto his surfboard and alerted the duty lifeguards, who assisted him to get the patient safely back to shore.
Troy van Niekerk (13) – Friday, 7th April, 2023:
Just after midday, the young school-boy was sitting on Baggies Beach, Warnadoone, after a swim, when he heard screams. Two adult males had got into difficulties in the rough surf and the lifeguard on duty was effecting a rescue. Troy ran 20 metres, swam out 15 meters, and rescued the other adult male, swimming him ashore unaided. His quick action prevented a possible drowning.
LSA Recognition Awards for
2022/2023
Kyle Carbonell Taylor (23) & Kyle Jansen van Vuuren (18) – Monday, 26th December, 2022:
Just after 20h00, the two off-duty Harties Reflections lifesavers were alerted to an incident at the Swadini Forever Resort cold water pool, where Ernst de Waal had hit his head when he had dived into the shallow end. Using their lifesaving knowledge and training, they stabilised the seriously injured young man, before safely removing him from the water, using a folding table as a stretcher. They monitored and treated the patient until medics arrived.
Rod Bloom (57) – Saturday, 25th March, 2023:
The Clifton LC member, who only qualified as a lifesaver last year, was jogging along the Seapoint Promenade at 10am, when he came across his friend who had suffered a heart attack. A young Doctor was already checking the man’s vitals when Rod heard him say, “no pulse”. Using his recently learnt CPR skills, Rod immediately started CPR and continued for over 7 minutes, during which time the patient was revived several times. It was touch and go but they kept him alive until paramedics arrived. The man survived the ordeal, thanks to Rod’s immediate commencement of the life saving CPR.
International Awards
South African lifesavers won the RLSS Mountbatten Medal in both 2018 (Matthew Maroun) and 2019 (Clifford Coombe). We had no nominee for the 2020 calendar year.
Dax Lam
For the 2021 calendar year, our BAC nomination for Dax Lamb, of Umhlanga Rocks Lifesaving Club, was again successful. We congratulate Dax, pictured right, for his rescue at Umdloti Beach on 20th February, 2021. LSA has dominated, with three Mountbatten winners over the past 4 years.