Siyabonga Mthethwa: The dancer and the rescuer

There’s a rare kind of person whose presence makes you feel safe and inspired. Siyabonga Mthethwa is one of those people. A Class 4 Coxswain, Drowning Prevention Instructor, KZN Water Safety Coordinator – and a ballroom dancer – his journey with the NSRI began with simple curiosity and has since evolved into a life of service, leadership, and community empowerment.

Siyabonga first encountered the NSRI during a demonstration at Durban’s South Beach. As a university student with a growing interest in the sea and rescue work, he was intrigued. “I was interested to know what they were all about, as I was also passionate about the sea and rescues.” He visited Station 5 shortly after, and it quickly became a second home. “Today I’m in my 11th year with the organisation as a volunteer and 6 years with community programs as an instructor, KZN team leader and currently as coordinator.”

From instructor to coxswain

His work as a Water Safety Instructor shaped much of his path. “The opportunity was transformative. I was placed directly to both children and adults through drowning water safety education and survival swimming,” he explains. “I wasn’t just teaching; I was building trust, adapting communication styles to suit different age groups and cultures, and learning to lead sessions with empathy and confidence.” Those lessons would lay the foundation for his growth as a communicator, a team leader, and a strategic thinker within the NSRI. One of his most meaningful memories? “Seeing a child go from being fearful of water to confidently demonstrating the flotation technique, knowing that it could one day save their life.”

Over the years, Siyabonga has taken on increasingly advanced training and leadership roles, including qualifying as a Class 4 Coxswain — a milestone that, in his words, was “demanding, both physically and mentally, but incredibly rewarding.” It required countless hours at sea, technical training, and the ability to lead a crew under pressure. “I had to log significant sea time under varying conditions, undergo rigorous training in navigation, radio communication, search and rescue procedures… I also learned that leadership at sea isn’t about giving orders; it’s about earning trust, staying composed, and leading by example.”

His days now are varied and complete. Whether he’s responding to an emergency call, coordinating water safety education across KwaZulu-Natal, or teaching children how to “float to live,” the mission stays the same. “What keeps it exciting is that no two days are ever the same,” he says. “Whether we’re responding to an emergency or helping a child understand water safety, the purpose stays clear: saving lives and serving the community.”

When asked what keeps him going, even when things get tough, he doesn’t hesitate. “The support we have from the organisation members as a whole, and the understanding of life-saving skills and education,” he says, adding, “The joy of children when they’ve learnt a new skill, or when they realise that both trust and learning are important — and that work can also be fun.”

One message Siyabonga is especially passionate about sharing is that “Drowning is silent, fast, and preventable — and you have the power to save a life, including your own.” He wants children and communities to understand that water safety isn’t about fear but confidence and knowledge. “When you understand the risks and know what to do, you’re not just protecting yourself — you’re becoming someone who can protect others.”

Some moments that remind him why he does this work are also the simplest. “Seeing students proving to me that they still remember what I have taught them a year ago,” Siyabonga says, or “seeing the smile of a child, when they realise they can float by themselves.”

The dancer and the rescuer

Outside of his work with the NSRI, Siyabonga has another passion: ballroom dancing. What began as an interest quickly became a discipline, and one he says complements his rescue work in unexpected ways. “I believe dance and rescue somehow have some profound overlaps, including discipline, trust, connection, and to be calm in chaos,” he says.

When asked what he’s most proud of, he says, “I’m proud of giving myself the opportunity. NSRI has become the home of my growth in my career as an instructor and in volunteer services. I have been moulded and shaped by the values of the NSRI, the culture that has kept me prominent and passionate about a drowning-free nation.”

As for what’s next, he’s keeping his ambitions high. “There are so many opportunities that I had to explore, academically, career growth, and empowering more lives through education. I have big dreams of making an impact and gaining more knowledge that will guide me through my career and life.”

From instructor to leader, dancer to rescuer, Siyabonga Mthethwa is proof of what’s possible when passion meets purpose — and what it means to carry a life-saving mission into every corner of your life.