Swimming South Africa Makes Waves with Nationwide Water Safety Drive for World Drowning Prevention Day
Drowning remains a pressing global public health issue, with the World Health Organization (WHO) estimating more than 236,000 drowning deaths annually worldwide. In South Africa, approximately 1,500 lives are lost to drowning each year, with children being the most vulnerable.
Under the campaign theme "Making Every Splash Count," SSA is prioritising high-impact grassroots programs in vulnerable communities. The KwaZulu-Natal rollout leads the national initiative, with key events taking place in KwaMashu and Durban’s city centre.
Program Structure & Core Activities
SSA-affiliated provinces will drive three main activities throughout the campaign period:
Water Safety Education Workshops: Delivering critical drowning prevention knowledge to pupils and community members.
Pool Splash Sessions: Practical Learn-to-Swim lessons conducted in safe, controlled environments.
Community Engagement Drives: Promoting public awareness of water safety through interactive activities and stakeholder collaborations.
KwaZulu-Natal Leads with Durban Rollout
In partnership with the eThekwini Municipality and local stakeholders, SSA officially launched the campaign today at KwaMashu D Section Swimming Pool.
Over 100 pupils from neighbouring schools participated in water safety workshops, featuring talks from multiple partners, followed by Learn-to-Swim lessons conducted by SSA-certified instructors from KZN Aquatics.
The program continued at the Rachel Finlayson Swimming Pool in Durban’s city centre, where 50 children engaged in a similar session. Activities at this venue will run as follows:
Venue: Rachel Finlayson Swimming Pool
Dates & Times: Saturday 26 & Sunday 27 July 2025, 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Call to Action: SSA invites all community members to participate in these free, life-saving sessions. “Be part of making every South African a swimmer and every South African water-safe,” urged an SSA spokesperson.
“Every child deserves the chance to be safe around water,” said Mr Alan Fritz, President of Swimming South Africa. “Through the ‘Making Every Splash Count’ initiative, we are not only teaching life-saving skills but also empowering communities to take ownership of water safety. Together, we can drastically reduce preventable drownings and build a nation where every South African can swim and thrive.”
A Call for Collaborative Action
"SSA extends its sincere appreciation to all affiliates for championing water safety and drowning prevention," the organisation stated. "Drowning is a preventable tragedy. Through united action between SSA, our affiliates, municipalities, schools, and communities, we can save lives and build a water-safe South Africa. The Durban launch is a powerful example of what can be achieved when we equip our youth with essential swimming skills and safety knowledge."
Join the Movement
Communities nationwide are encouraged to contact their Provincial Swimming Affiliates to learn more about local World Drowning Prevention Day activities.
Stay connected and show your support by following:
#WorldDrowningPreventionDay #WaterSafety #MakingEverySplashCount and #SwimForLife on social media.
ENDS
For further information, please contact:
Mafata Modutoane
mafata.modutoane@swimsa.org or 073 226 5688.
Swimming South Africa is the governing body of aquatics in South Africa.
Its objective is to encourage the practice of aquatic disciplines for all in South Africa with the purpose of promoting swimming as a life skill through Learn to Swim programmes; providing healthy exercise to South Africans of all ages and races; recruiting recreational swimmers to compete in the various competitions; and promoting competition and athlete development to the highest level. Swimming South Africa is kindly supported by SASCOC, National Lottery Commission, Arena, Bombela Concession Company and Department of Sport, Arts & Culture.