Cape Town - As the world commemorated the annual World Drowning Prevention Day on Tuesday, the family of 9-year-old Moegamat Kamaar from Belhar are still waiting for news of his disappearance after it is presumed he drowned at Sandy Bay on June 2.
Moegamat, his adopted father Rubin du Preez, 62, and Du Preez’s 15-year-old grandson, ended their hike at Sandy Bay where the boys played on the rocks. Moegamat was swept off the rocks by a wave and disappeared in to the water.
A distraught Du Preez said he wished he had taught Moegamat to swim, as he believed that could have prevented his drowning.
“I can still hear myself scream his name as he was drowning. Since I got him at the age of 1, it was his first time that day to walk with me up the mountain, and later going to Sandy Bay.
“As a family, we are devastated about the situation, but at the same time we can’t fall apart, not until we find his body,” he said.
Du Preez said the family returned to the scene from time to time in the hope of finding Moegamat.
“I have been hiking and going to Sandy Bay for almost 20 years, and I never thought it would end like that. It is so hard to revisit the place, but I can’t rest until we find him or we receive a call telling us that his body has been found.”
The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) said an average of 1 477 people died annually due to drowning in South Africa. Last summer, 27 near drownings and 19 drownings were recorded along the Cape coast, with one near drowning recorded at a public swimming pool.
The drownings occurred outside designated bathing areas, or when lifeguards were off duty.
NSRI emphasised the need for caution at the coast, especially during spring tide, which can cause stronger than normal rip currents.
It said risks increased during tide changes when the high tide peak receded towards low tide.
The NSRI ap appealed to the public to be aware of these risks and to exercise caution.
The City has committed itself, through its Recreation and Parks Department, to run a drowning prevention awareness programme year-round.
It aims to encourage people to learn to swim, practise water safety, become educated regarding risks of water activities, and offers safe swimming spaces at beaches and swimming pools.