How Survival Swimming is saving lives in rural communities

Inside the gates of Steilhoogte Primary School, children laugh and play in safety. But just beyond those gates lies a different world, one where canals, dams and rivers cut through the farmland of Vredendal and Klawer, and where the simple act of cooling off on a hot day can turn deadly.

“Water always remains a danger,” says Manus Spamer, the school principal. “You think you're safe, and then suddenly you're in big trouble.”

In this community along the Olifants River, water has long been both a source of life and of heartbreak. Six-year-old Haylen Valtein and her friends were walking home from school. As they crossed the canal bridge, Haylen slipped and fell into the water. Her friends ran for help, but by the time the adults arrived, it was too late.

“She was one of the flowers in the area that was picked too soon,” recalls Mr Spamer. “It was a hugely emotional thing for the community and the school.”

Haylen’s death became a turning point. Mr Spamer reached out to the NSRI, and within two months, a brand-new Survival Swimming Centre had been installed on the school grounds.

“A centre like this should actually be in every small town, because there is such a great need for them,” he says.

For Caville Abrahams, NSRI Drowning Prevention Regional Coordinator in the Western and Northern Cape, Steilhoogte’s story captures exactly why these centres matter.

“In areas like Vredendal and Klawer, where the Survival swimming Centre is located, there are very few, if any, opportunities for children to learn how to swim or to develop essential survival swimming skills,” says Caville.

“Many of these communities are surrounded by dams and canals, which, unfortunately, are common sites for drownings. Having a Survival Swimming Centre gives learners the chance to develop these skills in a safe and controlled environment. It also helps build confidence in and around water, something that’s vital for saving lives.”

For the children of Steilhoogte, the centre has become more than a pool. It’s a classroom of courage. A place where fear is met with guidance, and where every lesson could one day save a life.

Charlton Coetzee, the young Survival Swimming Instructor who teaches there, joined the NSRI when he was just 17.

“Teaching survival swimming isn’t just about technique, it’s about empowerment,” he says. “It’s about giving people, especially children, the confidence and skills to stay safe and help others.”

He’s seen children arrive terrified of the water and leave with smiles on their faces, proud of what they’ve achieved. “It’s one of the best things to see,” he says, “how you can have even just one kid getting over their fear of water.”

The ripple effect goes far beyond the school. Mthe Kweyama, NSRI’s Head of Community Programmes, says Steilhoogte is part of a much bigger vision.

“We realised that people who are highly affected by drownings are inland,” he explains. “Having that survival swimming centre in all these areas is crucial.”

For Mthe, the ultimate goal is awareness as much as ability.

“People need to learn how to swim,” he says. “Swimming is a life skill, it is a safety skill. This programme proves that swimming is no longer something for the privileged, it’s something everyone needs to know.”

At Steilhoogte, what began as heartbreak has become hope. Each splash in the water, each child learning to float, honours Haylen’s memory and helps ensure that no more flowers in this community are picked too soon.