The Spirit of Ubuntu: a once-in-a-generation legacy

For nearly six decades, the NSRI has stood as a symbol of South Africans helping South Africans, powered by ordinary people who volunteer their time and risk their lives to save others.

Now, we are at a historic moment: completing South Africa’s world-class rescue fleet with the launch of the final Offshore Rescue Craft (ORC) – The Spirit of Ubuntu.

Why we’re building this fleet
South Africa’s coastline is long, rugged, and unpredictable. In rough seas and stormy weather, our crews need vessels capable of reaching people in trouble, safely and fast.

ORCs are self-righting, purpose-built, and designed to operate 50 nautical miles offshore and beyond. They represent the future of maritime rescue in South Africa.

Each ORC costs approximately R26 million and has a working lifespan of up to 40 years, ensuring a lasting impact for generations to come.

But there’s a catch: every year we wait, the cost of building these boats increases. Rising material prices, exchange rates, and global shipping pressures make it crucial to complete this final vessel as soon as possible – to save critical funds that can instead go toward crew training, operational readiness, and water safety education.

How far we’ve come
To date, the NSRI has built and launched six world-class ORCs as part of our fleet renewal programme. These vessels are now stationed strategically at some of the busiest bases in the country:

• Station 5 – Durban

• Station 10 – Simon’s Town

• Station 17 – Hermanus

• Station 19 – Richards Bay

• Station 6 – Gqeberha

• Station 3 – Table Bay

These boats have already changed the way we respond to emergencies — launching faster, covering more distance, and operating in dangerous conditions that older vessels simply could not manage.

Now, only one vessel remains to complete this fleet: The Spirit of Ubuntu.

The Spirit of Ubuntu
This final ORC will be stationed at Hout Bay, one of South Africa’s oldest and busiest rescue bases.

She will carry the name The Spirit of Ubuntu because she embodies what makes the NSRI strong: ordinary people standing together to do extraordinary things. Once launched, she will protect lives for decades to come.

But to make this happen, we need to build her now, before rising costs push this once-in-a-generation opportunity out of reach.

How corporate partners can get involved
We are inviting a select group of companies to assist us in completing this historic project. Corporate sponsors will receive:

• Permanent name placement on the vessel for 40 years.

• High-impact national visibility through NSRI media platforms – magazine (230 000+ readers), website (2M+ visitors annually), and social channels (150 000+ followers).

• National PR exposure linked to real rescue stories.

• Section 18A tax benefits and B-BBEE points.

• A powerful legacy with South Africa’s most trusted rescue brand.

How you can help make it happen
Many of our most impactful partnerships have started with a simple introduction from someone in our NSRI family.

If you work for – or know of – a company that could support this campaign, please connect us. Your referral could help save countless lives for decades to come.

• Email Brad Seaton-Smith, Head of Marketing & Business Development: bradley@searescue.org.za

• Download a brochure. 

A national legacy
When an NSRI crew launches in the middle of the night to search for a missing fisherman, or when a child learns survival swimming that may one day save their life, it’s because someone cared enough to make it possible.

The Spirit of Ubuntu is not just a vessel. It’s a promise to stand together to protect each other. Help us build the last vessel. Help us carry the Spirit of Ubuntu into every rescue.