Our strategy
and performance

Assets

Our pace of investment into station infrastructure has continued into 2025. The Class 1 fleet replacement programme is on track to be completed by Q3 2026 – with the completion of both rescue station construction and accompanying ORC for Station 4 Mykonos and Station 8 Hout Bay. This will mean that eight of our 10 Class 1 craft are now less than eight years old, effectively having replaced all of our early-1980s Brede-class vessels.

Beyond the large offshore vessel programme, investigations and investments continued afoot at various locations to prudently assess where we can offer our services for maximum effect. Often missed as “business as usual”, increased maintenance attention and spend have resulted in refurbishments/major maintenance attention at many stations. Notably, significant work was carried out at Station 5 Durban, Station 9 Gordon's Bay, Station 15 Mossel Bay, Station 16 Strandfontein, Station 19 Richards Bay, Station 41 Ballito, as well as at Station 47 Kei Mouth. However, at least every station and facility received some kind of maintenance attention during the year.

In 2025, we listed the first new purpose-built inland rescue station in Witbank. Investigative work for future base builds also took place for Station 2 Bakoven, Station 9 Gordons Bay, Station 16 False Bay, Station 37 Jeffreys Bay, Station 39 Rocky Bay, Station 42 Kleinmond, Station 47 Kei Mouth, Station 49 Mdumbi and Station 51 Gariep Dam.

New satellite stations opened at Fish Hoek (Station 10 Simon's Town) and Eersterivier (Station 36 Oyster Bay), while Kenton-on-Sea (Station 11 Port Alfred) and Nature's Valley (Station 14 Plettenberg Bay) also expanded our footprint. Jet-powered rigid inflatable boats (JetRIBs) were allocated at all these satellite stations. Active investigations are underway for build projects at Kenton-on-Sea, Nature's Valley and at existing satellite sites at Sedgefield in the coming years.

Three stations (Station 44 St Helena Bay, Station 46 Storms River (which were satellite stations in 2024) and Station 49 Mdumbi (an auxiliary station in 2024) came online as fully independent operational stations, reflecting our deliberate expansion into previously underserved areas. We made a strategic decision to focus on developing Station 49 Mdumbi as a flagship location covering the important, geographically exposed Wild Coast between East London and Port Edward, downscaling operations at Station 28 Port St Johns, which is currently in auxiliary status. We also rationalised our resource allocation at various other stations, for example, moving Station 45 Matzikama to a dedicated lifeguard operation.

Station infrastructure	2025		2024		2023		Trend
Rescue bases	59		59		57
Rescue stations	43		46		46
Auxiliary stations (in development without vessels)	3		5		5
Satellite stations	13		8		8
Drowning prevention (extension of an established station with a vessel)
Survival Swimming Centres	4		4		4
Beach safety cameras	11		6		6
Rescue assets
Rescue vessels	116		114		110
Class 1: all-weather rescue vessels designed to operate more than 50 nautical miles offshore	10		10		10
Class 2: Rigid inflatable boats (RIBs) exceeding 10 m in length and fitted with a cabin	3		3		2
Class 3: large RIBs from 7.3 m to 8.8 m in length	21		21		21
Class 3: smaller RIBs from 5.5 m to 6.5 m in length	25		25		25
Class 4: RIBs less than 5 m in length (and JetRIBs)	57 (45)		55 (40)		50 (35)		()
Vehicles (mobiles, tractors, quads/all-terrain vehicles)	115 (72, 24, 19)		105		104

Assets value
Asset allocation	As at 31 December 2025		Percentage  of total  non-current  assets value		As at 31 December 2024		Percentage of total non-current assets value
Land, building and investment properties	R152 186 012		45%		R149 348 984		45%
Vessels	R152 465 133		45%		R155 263 853		46%
Vehicles	R23 954 307		7%		R22 879 711		7%
Equipment	R6 335 612		2%		R6 998 951		2%
Other financial assets	R163 453		0%		R238 893		0%
Total non-current assets excluding other financial assets	R335 104 517		100%*		R334 730 392		100%

*	Restated due to rounding variances.

Fleet renewal and maintenance

The ORC fleet renewal programme is modernising the NSRI's rescue capability. These self-righting, purpose-built vessels are designed to operate 50 nautical miles offshore and beyond, replacing 1980s-era craft and fundamentally upgrading the NSRI's Class 1 capability.

Alongside the ORC renewal programme, we keep existing assets operational with extensive fleet maintenance and refurbishment, including refits on five rescue vessels (engine and gearbox replacements) and navigation system upgrades. Rescue 19A underwent major refurbishment, Rescue 18 was re-engined, and new JetRIBs were delivered to four stations.

The year also saw several official vessel and station blessings, including the Film Industry Fund Rescuer III at Station 16 Strandfontein, the Spirit of Santam III at Station 5 Durban, the JetRIB Janine at Station 34 Yzerfontein, the Bay Guardian ORC at Station 6 Gqeberha, and the Spirit of St Francis III & Spirit of ScottSam, as well as the upgraded station facilities at Station 21 St Francis Bay. These events recognised the generous support of donors, volunteers and communities whose contributions make these lifesaving assets possible.

We demonstrate our commitment to world-class rescue readiness and responsible stewardship of donor-funded resources through significant capital investment and operational capability enhancement.