A Gift in Your Will Can Help Save Lives

When a diver disappeared off KwaZulu-Natal’s South Coast in November 2024, the search unfolded in difficult conditions.

NSRI Station 20 Shelly Beach launched Spirit of Dawn, joining NSRI Station 32 Port Edward, a Transnet National Ports Authority helicopter, three fixed-wing aircraft and independent fishing vessels in an extensive search. Three hours later, the helicopter crew spotted the diver adrift. Spirit of Dawn was diverted to the scene, took the diver aboard and brought them safely back to shore.

Behind that rescue was another story that had begun years before the call for help ever came.

Spirit of Dawn was made possible because a donor chose to leave a gift to the NSRI in their will. Their legacy became a rescue vessel, and that vessel was there when a stranger needed it most.

Turning a Legacy into a Lifeline

Spirit of Dawn is not the only NSRI rescue craft with such a story. Spirit of Gabi at Station 8 Hout Bay, Spirit of Day at Station 3 Table Bay, the Alick Rennie offshore rescue craft at Station 5 Durban and the Donna Nicholas at Station 10 Simon’s Town are among the vessels funded through legacy gifts.

But a bequest need not fund an entire rescue vessel to make a difference.

Legacy gifts also help provide volunteers with the personal protective equipment they need to operate safely, support rescue bases and enable the NSRI to teach water safety and Survival Swimming in communities across South Africa.

“Every person who leaves the NSRI a gift in their will helps us save lives, change lives and create futures, long after they themselves are gone,” says NSRI Community Fundraiser Renée Leeuwner. “It’s one of the most quietly powerful ways someone can keep making a difference.”

A Good Week to Start the Conversation

National Wills Week, from 14 to 18 September 2026, encourages South Africans to think about their wills and estates – something many of us would rather put off.

For the NSRI, it is also an opportunity to show that a meaningful legacy, should it be something you are thinking about, can take many forms. A gift can be a cash amount, a percentage of an estate, property, another asset or even a cherished item.

“We try to keep it personal rather than transactional,” explains Renée. “We tell real stories, of people who chose to leave something to the NSRI because a rescue touched their family, or simply because they loved what our volunteers do, and we let those stories speak for themselves rather than making an ask.”

For someone with an existing valid will, including the NSRI may be as simple as asking an attorney to add a short legal amendment naming the organisation as a beneficiary. Those without a will can use National Wills Week as an opportunity to get started, with participating attorneys offering to draft basic wills free of charge.

The NSRI does not provide legal advice, so any changes to a will should be discussed with a qualified attorney.

A Gift That Can Benefit Your Estate, Too

There can also be an important financial benefit. Under section 4(h) of the Estate Duty Act, the value of anything left to an approved public benefit organisation, such as the NSRI, falls entirely outside the dutiable estate.

This means leaving a gift to the NSRI can lower the overall estate duty bill, so it isn't only a gift to us; it's also a sound piece of estate planning for the family left behind.

Most importantly, a meaningful legacy is not defined by the size of the gift – any contribution can make a difference. This National Wills Week, consider not only what you might leave behind, but what that legacy could make possible.