Buffalo City Municipality has deployed additional lifeguards to its beaches around East London amid a spike in the number of drownings.
The Municipality has appealed to beach-goers to exercise caution following three drownings in the past week, raising the overall toll to at last five since September.
“The City has deployed an additional 33 lifeguards to beef up its contingent of 19, in anticipation of the influx of visitors to its beaches,” according to a Buffalo City Municipality statement.
The peak season operational times will be between 07:00-18:00 at Gonubie beach, Bonza Bay Beach, Nahoon Beach, Eastern Beach, Orient Complex and Waterworld Complex from 09 December 2018 up until 31 January 2019.
The NSRI has issued the following Summer Safety Tips
1. Swim at beaches where and when lifeguards are on duty.
2. Swim between the lifeguard’s flags.
3. Don’t Drink and Drown
4. Don’t swim alone. Always swim with a buddy.
5. Adult supervision and barriers to water are vital.
6. Know how to survive rip currents.
7. Don’t attempt a rescue yourself.
8. Do not let children use floating objects, toys or tire tubes at the beach or on dams.
9. Do not be distracted by your cell phone or social media.
10. Visit a beach that has lifeguards on duty – there is a reason that we have repeated this!
(Image: Eastern Beach EL - Safarinow)
