About Us

Sea Rescue is the charity that saves lives on South African waters.

The National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) is run by 940 highly skilled, unpaid volunteers who are on standby day and night throughout the year.

Donations and sponsorships cover our annual running cost of R27.5m. The volunteers save us a salary bill in excess of R250m per annum.

We have 32 bases around the coast; of those, 3 are on inland dams, a fleet of 89 rescue craft, 31 rescue vehicles, 12 quad bikes and 13 tractors. We also have access to a range of helicopters. We enjoy a good working relationship with other emergency services and we believe that it is through team effort that lives are saved.

The NSRI education arm, called WaterWise Academy, teaches children what to do in an emergency and gives them the confidence to initiate basic bystander CPR while they wait for the ambulance to arrive. The WaterWise Academy targets disadvantaged youth between the ages of nine and 14, because statistically they are the most at risk (South African Medical Research Council, 2006).

Our technical experts, our auditors and our board of Directors are also all unpaid volunteers.

NSRI has an open book policy and our financial statements are available at State Libraries for your convenience.  Articles of Asssociation are available on request.

NPO Reg. No. 002-870
Co. Reg. No. 1967/013618/08
VAT Reg. No. 4920114818

Head office: 1 Glengariff Road, Three Anchor Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
Postal: PO Box 154, Green Point, 8051
Tel: +27 21 434 4011     Fax: +27 21 434 1661
Email: info@searescue.org.za
After hours: Craig Lambinon 082 380 3800 or Meriel Bartlett 082 994 7555