LSA Bravery Awards for
2024/2025
Annual report for the 2024/2025 season
By Stanford slabbert – Convenor
Fish Hoek SLC’s Braedon Powell (15) has been awarded the RLSS highest award for Bravery in 2024, the Mountbatten Medal, for his brave rescue on Wednesday, 27th March, 2024, alongside Whalebone Pier, Umhlanga Rocks, KZN.
“Mid-afternoon, the Fish Hoek junior saw an adult man lose his footing and get pulled out to sea in the cyclonic surf conditions which had resulted in beaches being closed. The man was quickly pulled towards the backline after a big set. Braedon grabbed a nearby pink RTB, jumped over the railings and swam out after him in the treacherous conditions. He managed to secure & pull the large victim close to shore, where 5 by-standers hauled the patient up the steep beach. Braedon was pulled back out to sea again and had to fight hard to reach safety, injuring himself as he clambered over the rocks. Thanks to Braedon’s immediate action and bravery, the man survived the ordeal”, read his award-winning citation.
Braedon is the fifth and youngest South African lifesaver to win the Mountbatten Medal in the past seven years, highlighting the high standards of lifesaving within the countries volunteer lifesaving movement, headed up by Lifesaving South Africa.
Previous LSA winners of the Royal Lifesaving Society’s top bravery award are Lee Maree (2023), Dax Lamb (2021), Clifford Coombe (2019) and Matthew Maroun (2018).
In addition to the five winners, South Africa’s Edward Gutsche was awarded the Prince Michael of Kent Award for Bravery in 2022, as a runner-up to the Mountbatten winner. Only one Mountbatten Medal is awarded per year. However, in special circumstances, the RLSS awards the PMK medal to recognise extraordinary acts of bravery, such as when Edward rescued 3 members of the Majeke family off Port Alfred’s Kellys Beach.
A total of 17 incidents were adjudicated over the past year. However, 3 were abandoned, leaving 14 for consideration. An incident at Swartkops, PE, became the subject of a SAPS investigation. A rescue at Sea Park, KZN South Coast, on 29th December, had to be abandoned when we could not contact the rescuer. Another “rescue” at Big Bay in October was turned into a media circus by social media and the “hero” was not the actual rescuer!
For the period under review, July, 2024, to June, 2025, the BAC is pleased to acknowledge that 14 incidents yielded 19 worthy LSA award recipients, who are our rescue heroes of the year. Seven of the incidents involved a single rescuer and two incidents involved CPR by the rescuers. A rescue at Strand on 31st January resulted in one rescuer getting a BA2 award and the other a DP1 award.
- Bravery Awards = 7 – 6 incidents
- Drowning Prevention = 12 – 9 incidents
- Recognition Award = nil
Highlights of the past year include a father & daughter duo, who effected a daring rescue together, and three SA lifesavers who saved lives in other parts of the world, notably Bali & Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Looking at the geographic spread of the incidents, 6 were in the Cape Town area, 3 in the Western Cape, 3 in the Eastern Cape and nil in KZN. Two incidents were outside SA. Of the 19 award recipients, 2 have no formal lifesaving training, making the efforts of Warren Talbot and Nic Rosslee and even more special.
This year, 15 males and 4 females are recognised. Our oldest award recipient is Nicola De Jager (48), of Big Bay LSC, and the youngest is 10-year-old Kings Beach LSC nipper, Jaed Beaton.
Strand’s Mila Watson becomes a double award recipient, having previously been acknowledged with a Drowning Prevention – Letter of Commendation (DP2) for her successful CPR of a drowned child on 28th February, 2021. This year she receives a DP1 award.
Lifesaving SA has three award categories covering Bravery and Drowning Prevention, and these are summarised as follows:
Bravery Awards: There are 4 levels, with a Letter of Appreciation, BA1, followed by a Letter of Commendation, BA2, and a Certificate of Commendation, BA3. The highest level, BA4, is our Silver Medallion, LSA’s highest award for exceptional bravery. Since inception in 1943, only 18 medallions have been awarded for Bravery of the highest order, over the past 82 years.
Drowning Prevention Awards: These incidents do not involve bravery or risk, but recognise actions taken to prevent a drowning. There are 3 levels, with a Letter of Appreciation, DP1, for actions taken to prevent a drowning. DP2 is a Letter of Commendation for actions taken to prevent a drowning, which might also involve some CPR. DP3 is the highest DP award, the Certificate of Commendation, for preventing a drowning, which might also include extensive CPR.
Recognition Awards are considered when a qualified lifesaver uses their lifesaving skills to render assistance and/or save a life in a non-aquatic environment or emergency situation.
Once again, several duty squad nominations were not considered, as it is stated in the BAC Operating Procedures that, unless there are exceptional circumstances of bravery, duty squads are doing what they are supposed to do, protecting our bathers and assisting at incidents.
Clubs must please note that any lifesaving club nomination must reach LSA within 30 days of the actual incident, with a fully completed BAC01 nomination form and supporting statements. Our goal is to adjudicate incidents as soon as possible after the event. Contact details of each rescuer must be supplied, as part of our adjudication procedure is to speak to each individual rescuer.
LSA Bravery Awards for 2024 / 2025 x 7:
BA3 – Certificate of Commendation = 2 – Nicola De Jager, Warren Talbot.
BA2 – Letter of Commendation = 3 – Douglas & Lily Day (Father & daughter), Mark Pedersen.
BA1 – Letter of Appreciation = 2 – Luke Johnson, Jaed Beaton.
A brief summary of each Bravery incident and award, in date sequence, per category, follows:
BA3 - Certificate of Commendation x 2:
Nicola De Jager (48) – Saturday, 28th September, 2024, at 13h30:
The Big Bay SLC member, Coastal Watch standby group volunteer and DHL employee reacted when alerted to two persons in distress off Blouberg. Nicola immediately drove to the scene, donned her wetsuit, fins and RTB and swam out through a gap in the rocks and through the big shore-break. She found the two large wetsuit clad men about 500m off the beach and towed them back, negotiating through the big swells and turbulent ocean. She found a gulley between the rocks where she pulled them ashore. “It was an overcast and horrible day and I could not stand by and watch two people drown” said Nicola, who was the only rescuer who braved the treacherous conditions.
Warren Talbot (43) – Tuesday, 26th December, 2024, at 10h00:
Whilst enjoying a family outing to Kabeljous River mouth lagoon, Milnerton Nipper parent, Warren, was alerted to a group of four bathers caught in a strong rip current. Warren immediately swam out into the strong onshore easterly wind driven waves and rescued the nearest of the 4 distressed victims. He returned the first youngster to the shallows and went back in to rescue another one, who tried to climb onto him. Realizing that he could be drowned, Warren managed to get the youngster into a grip and pulled him ashore, while an angler reeled in the third victim. Warren was too exhausted to go back into the surf to search for the missing 4th victim. Sadly, the angry sea claimed the 19-year-old youth, whose body was recovered hours later.
BA2 - Letter of Commendation x 3
Douglas (46) & Lily (18) Day – Wednesday, 1st January, 2025 at 11h30:
Walking along the Blouberg beachfront, opposite a non-bathing beach, the Day family were alerted to a person in distress about 500m offshore, behind the large backline waves. Realising that they had to act quickly, the father and daughter stripped down to their underwear, grabbed a nearby RTB and swam out through the big surf, while mom alerted rescue services. They lost sight of the victim several times but eventually secured the large man and tried CPR before realizing that the victim had died. They kept the person afloat as they drifted out, waiting about 20min for the rescue IRB to collect them and take them ashore. Sadly, the victim was declared deceased by waiting medics. The Days are members of Big Bay SLC and this is the BAC’s first father / daughter rescue combo!
Mark Pedersen (45) – Friday, 31st January, 2025 at 19h10:
Strand Nipper parents were concluding a session when alerted to two bathers caught in a strong rip current about 1 kilometre down the beach. Mark grabbed a RTB and ran to the scene and swam out about 200m and secured the two victims. He calmed the frantic brother and sister and battled to tow them out of the powerful “Topaz” rip current, injuring muscles in his neck and shoulder during the rescue. After about 20minutes of hard towing, when about 50m off the beach, Mila Watson arrived on a malibu board and assisted Mark to return the two patients safely to the beach.
BA1 – Letter of Appreciation x 2:
Jaed Beaton (10) – Wednesday, 1st January, 2025 at 14h00:
The Kings Beach nipper was playing ball in the shallows at the Keurbooms River mouth, at Plettenberg Bay, when she realized that a toddler in their group of five was caught in a rip current. The incoming tidal surge caught them off-guard and Jaed reacted immediately and calmly told the toddler to float on his back while she held him afloat for several minutes, until adults arrived to assist both of them. Jaed remained calm throughout the scary ordeal. The young nipper is our youngest award recipient this year.
Luke Johnson (26) – Friday, 10th January, 2025 at 17h30:
Bonza Bay beach, East London, was busy when East London lifesaver, Luke, arrived to resume pro-duty, as he was on shift until midnight. The fresh easterly onshore was blowing and a rip tide suddenly pulled 8 bathers out as he approached the tower. He grabbed a malibu board and proceeded to pull 7 bathers, some intoxicated, from the turbulent 2/3 foot surging waves. He grabbed two at a time, hauled them onto the board and paddled them to the shallows, before going out again. His colleague did CPR on one victim before Medics arrived and assisted with the mass rescue. Sadly, one youth drowned in the turbulent conditions.
LSA Drowning Prevention Awards for 2024 / 2025 x 11:
DP2 – Letter of Commendation = 2 awards
DP1 – Letter of Appreciation = 10 awards
This seasons oldest Drowning Prevention Award recipient is Dominic Smith (38) and the youngest recipient is Jonah Lustig (18).
Brief summary of each Drowning Prevention incident, in date sequence:
DP 2 – Letters of Commendation x 2:
Dean Morris (34) – left, & Ryan Chandler (23), right, – Friday, 10th October, 2024, at 18h30:
The two South African lifeguards, pictured left, with the patients father, were relaxing near the Bab Al Qasr hotel pool, Abu Dhabi, UAE, when alerted to a drowning. A 4-year-old girl had just been pulled lifeless from the water. They reacted immediately. They assessed the little victim and commenced Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation. After several cycles of CPR the little girl recovered and was rushed to hospital, where she made a full recovery. Ryan is a member of Milnerton SLC and Dean hails from Durban.
DP 1 - Letters of Appreciation x 10:
Matisse Vermeiren (20) – Sunday, 7th July, 2024, midday:
The former Clifton SLC member was on holiday at a popular surf spot at Nusa Lembongan beach, Bali, when he noticed that a tourist, who had jumped off the cliff, (a popular tourist activity) was struggling in a strong rip current. Big waves were rolling over the floundering man and Matisse paddled to him, secured him, and paddled him to safety.
Andile Maluleka (29) & Nic Rosslee (38) – Monday, 2nd September, 2024, 18h30:
Off-duty lifeguard and Clifton member, Andile, was relaxing and jumping off Bun Rock, at Cliftons 4th Beach, when he heard two women screaming for help. They were caught in a strong rip current and were being swept out to sea. Andile immediately swam 50m to them and took one back to shore while a member of the public, Nic Rosslee, secured the other one and kept her afloat. Andile swam back out, about 30m, and assisted both Nic and the other patient back to shore. No rescue equipment was used in the rescue.
Jonah Lustig (18) – Saturday, 5th October, 2024, at 11h30:
As the off-duty Clifton lifesaver was walking off Camps Bay beach after surfing, Jonah heard screams and realised that a bather was caught in a strong rip current. He immediately paddled out on his surfboard and secured the victim about 50m off the beach. He was soon joined by a City of Cape Town lifeguard and a member of the public. They assisted the young man back to the beach, where the patient received oxygen and medical treatment.
Sinethemba Jikela (30) & Dominic Smith (38) – Thursday, 24th October, 2024, at 12h00:
The two Mnandi SLC members and on-duty Pro lifeguards were alerted by a motorist that fisherman, Heinrich Hans, was caught in a rip current about 400m from the Mnandi clubhouse. The two rescuers ran 400m to the rocky gully and swam out about 300m, with RTB’s, using the rip. They secured the 120kg drowning angler, who was bobbing in the turbulent waves. They struggled to tow him ashore, as his boots were pulling him under. The man was hospitalized but survived the ordeal, thanks to the immediate reaction of the lifeguards
Zitobile Msesiwe (32) – Sunday, 24th November, 2024 at 14h00:
Hours after passing his lifesaving exam, the newly qualified East London SLC member was chilling at Sugarshack, Eastern Beach, when he noticed a bather get caught in a strong rip current, away from the bathing area. He immediately grabbed his surfboard and paddled out about 50m to rescue the intoxicated bather.
Mpilo Madonsela (37) – Sunday,1st December, 2024, at 8h41:
During an organised open water swim event at Cliftons 4th Beach, one of the turn buoys was blown out to sea by the strong offshore wind. One of the competitors, Oscar, swam after the buoy and found himself too far offshore and in trouble. Mpilo, the event lifeguard, radioed for assistance and went after him on a rescue craft and secured the distressed swimmer. The two were rescued by the NSRI a short while later. Once ashore, Clifton LSC responders treated the victim for hyperthermia. The swimmer recovered.
Oliver Levinthal (19) – Monday, 9th December, 2024, at 15h00:
Three off-duty Clifton lifesavers were relaxing at Onrus Beach, near Hermanus, when they noticed a swimmer in distress, about 250m offshore, caught in a strong rip current. The duty lifeguards were battling to get through the big surf. Oliver grabbed a pair of flippers and swam out, using the powerful rip. He secured the victim about 350m offshore. Whilst towing the victim back towards the beach, he was joined by an Onrus See & Sand lifeguard for the final 150m and together they returned the victim safely back to shore.
Mila Watson (23) – Friday, 31st January, 2025 at 19h10:
The off-duty Strand lifesaver was at their clubhouse when alerted by Nipper parents that two bathers were caught in a strong rip current about a km down the beach. Mila immediately drove to the scene and swam out and rescued a floundering bystander, who had tried to assist the two victims. She saw Mark Pedersen battling against the rip with his two patients and paddled out on a malibu board, provided by Jamii Hamlin, and assisted Mark to get his two victims safely ashore.
In Closing
As Convenor of the BAC for the past 13 years, I again had the privilege of speaking to 19 wonderful citizens who have gone the extra mile to save a life or prevent a drowning. These are special people.
We also thank those who took the time to submit nominations for these rescuers, as they ensured that we could recognise these wonderful human beings.
Going forward, Clubs are reminded that any nominations must reach the LSA head-office within 30 days of the actual incident, as we want to adjudicate incidents as soon as possible after the actual event. It is also a process that cannot be rushed, as we have high standards to uphold
Stalwarts Ken Bentall, Lance Harrison, Wendy Gibson-Taylor and Richard Davidson, along with Charles Khumalo, have worked tirelessly to assist me. My grateful thanks are extended to each team member for their hours and hours of dedication and adjudication.
Sadly, Richard Davidson (pictured left) has decided to retire from the BAC after 17 years of sterling effort and support. Richard joined the Lifesaving movement through Mandeville Club in 1988 and became part of the BAC in 2008. We thank Richard for his wonderful guidance and support and we wish him well in the years ahead.
We salute our 19 award recipients and our 2024 Mountbatten Medal winner, Braedon Powell.
Heads up and walk tall ……. You are all heroes.
Stanford Slabbert
Convenor
Bravery & Drowning Prevention Awards Committee (BAC)
082 9900 907