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What we do


OUR
VISION
A water-safe nation
The future we dream of is a South Africa where all people are confident and capable of enjoying a life and livelihood around water. We want to be relevant to all 63 million citizens and to the countless industries and stakeholders whose pursuits and prospects are enabled by a water‑safe society.
A water-safe nation
OUR
MISSION
Preserving life and livelihoods on and around South African waters through education, drowning prevention and rescue
To enable our vision, we do more than rescue. We focus on a complete end-to-end service that spans advocacy – primarily via research, stakeholder communications and positioning; drowning prevention – through education, training and skills development programmes; and proactive and responsive rescue – enabled by volunteer crews, assets and our extensive geographic footprint.
Preserving life
OUR
PURPOSE
Saving lives, changing lives and creating futures
We do what we do because of our belief that, by creating a safety net for individuals and entities around water, we can help to safeguard lives, communities and livelihoods, both in the present moment and far into the future.
Saving lives

OUR VALUES

LIFE
We value life in all its forms and commit to caring for, protecting and nurturing it.
TRUST
The result of consistent accountability, trust is something we share with our community, and it is something we must earn every day.
DIGNITY
We work to educate and empower people and communities with the knowledge and skills necessary to keep them safe around water.
LEADERSHIP
True leaders don’t think about themselves; they think first and always of those they have been tasked to serve and care for.
INCLUSIVITY
We welcome all people who believe in building better communities and listen carefully to ensure we are always evolving in the best ways to serve them.
COMMUNITY
We are more than just a family; we are a diverse community growing bigger every day, and we nurture the powerful bonds that hold us together.



Our strategic pillars and supporting business activities

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We implement our five-year rolling strategy through business activities that are executed within the framework of our five strategic pillars.


Divisions
Strategic pillars
Supporting activities
Divisions
Operations
Strategic pillars
Advocacy and prevention
Quality rescue services
Supporting activities
Community programmes
Lifeguarding
Rescue operations
Training
Fleet and facility
Divisions
Fundraising and marketing
Strategic pillars
Marketing and communication
Fundraising
Supporting activities
Communications
Brand marketing
Performance marketing
Fundraising and business development
Retail and crew clothing
Divisions
Corporate services
Strategic pillars
Quality corporate governance, management and administration
Supporting activities
Finance
Human capital
Information and communications technology (ICT)

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Our synergistic business model brings together a dedicated volunteer crew and professional staff to maintain rapid responsiveness in emergencies and sustainable prevention programmes.

Key:   Strategic pillar Business activity Service pillar Division

Operations division

The operations directorate leads service delivery with an integrated approach to rescue operations, lifeguarding, prevention, training, community engagement and the sustainability of our fleet and facilities.

Strategic pillars

Advocacy and prevention

We drive sector collaboration and partnerships while reducing drowning through prevention, water safety and survival swimming programmes.

Quality rescue services

59 rescue bases, well-trained volunteers respond to ocean, coastal, inland and flood emergencies.
Service pillars

Community programmes

Prevention is central to our mission. Our community programmes on water safety are led by NSRI teams across the country and supported by volunteer organisations.

Lifeguarding

We provide seasonal lifeguarding services and training under municipal and commercial contracts, with lifeguards recruited from local communities.

Rescue operations

Each rescue base has the appropriate rescue assets and is a centre for volunteer training, operational readiness and social connection.
Supporting business activities

Training

Volunteers undergo essential and accredited training. Selective training programmes are available to the public through open-access platforms and via community engagement and development.

Fleet and facility

Buildings, vessels and vehicles are essential to our operational capability. Ongoing maintenance and upgrades keep our physical assets mission-ready and fit for purpose.

Fundraising and marketing division

Our strategy is based on a three-pronged approach:
  1. Grow revenue sustainably through diverse and scalable income streams.
  2. Continuously increase the base of loyal long-term donors and supporters.
  3. Communicate a clear positioning which establishes the ongoing relevance and reputation of the NSRI brand.

Strategic pillars

Marketing and communication

Marketing spans a range of important disciplines to ensure a complete, consistent presence across our core constituencies, as well as make a constructive direct contribution to donor engagement, fundraising and operational services.

Fundraising

Fundraising is our lifeblood and managed in a highly structured way to ensure sustainable and predictable income streams and cash flow. We nurture and pursue diversity as a key strategy to ensure that we are never dependent on any single source of donations.
Supporting business activities

Communications

We work with the media to share our news timeously and spread our public safety messages widely.

Brand marketing

By positioning NSRI authentically and consistently, we build the trust and credibility that underpins our reputation.

Performance marketing

Our structured, data-driven approach enables us to generate leads, direct donations and online sales consistently and at scale.

Fundraising and business development

We build relationships with individuals, corporates, trusts and other institutions to create long-term partnerships of mutual benefit.

Retail and crew clothing

Our quality merchandise and clothing sales generate direct funding for crew personal protective equipment (PPE) while putting our brand into the world.

Corporate services division

Our organisation is fast-paced, complex, highly structured and measured. We rely on precise disciplined corporate services teams to provide internal support that enables the NSRI to operate effectively and sustainably, with an increasingly technological foundation.

Strategic pillars

Quality corporate governance, management and administration

The scale and operating demands of the organisation require continuous and close management of our financial and investment interests, coupled with growing compliance and risk management demands.
Supporting business activities

Finance

Cash flow and capital management are key drivers that inform our decision-making. We are deeply mindful of meeting stakeholder expectations and adhere to the highest standards of compliance to audit and regulatory requirements.

Human capital

People management straddles volunteers and professionally employed individuals, across a diverse geographic and cultural spread. Diversity, compliance and career development are key focus areas that help to maintain high people retention within the organisation.

ICT

Secure, modern digital technologies, infrastructure and platforms are in place and in ongoing development to support operational efficiency and innovation, real-time reporting, improved payment processing, data security and modern communications.