On-duty lifeguard spotted drinking
AN on-duty lifeguard is facing a disciplinary hearing while another absconded after they were allegedly caught drinking alcohol in the parking lot at Brighton Beach on New Year’s Day.
And in two cases at Sardinia Bay late last week, poorly equipped municipal lifeguards had to borrow children’s equipment from a volunteer lifesaving club as they did not have any.
Fisherman Raeez Pather said that at about 7.30am on Sunday he saw two lifeguards – one with a two-way radio hooked on his pants – standing at a car drinking alcohol.
“There were people swimming already. I don’t know if there were other lifeguards on duty,” Pather said.
“When we left, I drove over something and found empty beer cans under the car.”
Pather posted a picture of the drinking lifeguards on social media.
Sports, recreation, arts and culture executive director Noxolo Nqwazi said as soon as they received a complaint from a member of the public – who saw the picture on social media – they sent officials from the metro police to test the two lifeguards.
“The one ran away. We acted as quickly as we could. The other one had a [breath] alcohol level of 0.16 [mg/1 000ml].
“It meant he did take something. We removed him and pulled lifeguards from other beaches to come and assist,” she said.
The legal limit is a breath alcohol level content of 0.24mg/1 000ml.
“There were other lifeguards on duty at the time. It is a big and very busy beach,” Nqwazi said.
Lifesaving veteran Grant Breetzke said lifeguards at Sardia Bay had to borrow children’s equipment from the now closed-up clubhouse because they did not have any.
He said lifeguards were trying to help a person who dislocated his knee and another who snapped his achilles tendon.
“They had to use the boards we used to train the youngsters in lifesaving as they did not have a spinal board,” Breetzke said.
It is understood that lifeguards at that beach have been asking for equipment for weeks.
Last week, municipal spokesman Mthubanzi Mniki said all lifeguards were equipped with a first-aid kit and had the necessary equipment to perform a rescue.
But Breetzke said: “They only have one torpedo buoy and no medi-pack for bluebottle stings.”
Municipal lifeguards at several of the metro beaches last week refused to say what equipment they had been given.
They referred all inquiries to beach manager Fernando Cain, who was suspended last week.