The safety of bathers and provision of qualified lifeguards at Nelson Mandela Bay swimming pools will be a priority, thanks to the reintroduction of the Learn to Swim programme being launched at the end of November 2024.
This will be delivered in a two-category format. The first category is for children from 5 to 16 years, focusing mainly on beginners. It will teach basic water safety and swimming.
The second category is for young people from 16 to 35 years, focusing more on advanced swimming lessons that will be upgraded to formal lifesaving training for those who have qualified.
The Learn to Swim programme was last implemented more than five years ago and produced a number of graduates, who are now permanently employed as lifeguards by the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality.
The reintroduction of this programme will not only improve safety and save thousands of children from possible drowning, but will impart a critical life skill to children, more especially from the previously disadvantaged areas.
The programme will initially run from 1 – 15 December 2024, allowing space for the official operation of the swimming pools between 16 December 2024 and 15 January 2025.
The programme will then resume on 15 January 2025 and run until 16 March 2025. The period of 1 – 15 December 2024 will focus on the first category, preparing children for the official opening of swimming pools. The second category, which will strictly be implemented through schools, will be allocated the 15 January 2025 to 16 March 2025 period.
Due to a lack of resources, the first category of the programme will only be implemented at five swimming pools. The selected swimming pools are Zwide, New Brighton, Rosedale, Gelvandale and Westering.
The second category will be implemented at all the swimming pools that will be open during the 2024 season.
The swimming pools that will be open from 16 December 2024 are the following: Westering, Newton, Gelvandale, Malabar, Zwide, New Brighton and Rosedale.
The other Metro swimming pools are not in a condition fit for operation due to vandalism and refurbishments currently underway.
NMB Communications
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