South Africa’s National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI) has been appointed to lead all water safety and lifeguarding operations at Club Med’s first South African resort on the KwaZulu-Natal North Coast.
The appointment follows a competitive global selection process, positioned as a major win for local operational standards. The NSRI, a non-profit organisation established in 1967, will now transition its decades of volunteer-led rescue experience into a commercial safety model for one of the country’s largest tourism projects, which opens later this year.
Read:
Club Med South Africa resort launch prices revealed
Shark net plan for Club Med sparks backlash from conservationists
Club Med South Africa beach resort set for July 2026 opening
The tourism project, dubbed the Club Med South Africa Beach and Safari Resort, represents a R2.2 billion investment developed by Collins Residential.
Located in KwaDukuza Municipality and north of Ballito, the resort is expected to become a significant economic driver, with predictions of thousands of annual visitors requiring a massive scale-up in safety infrastructure.
Instead of relying on outside contractors, the NSRI is leveraging this partnership to prioritise local employment by hiring and training lifeguards directly from the surrounding KwaDukuza communities.
ADVERTISEMENT
CONTINUE READING BELOW
These recruits are set to receive internationally recognised training in specialised rescue and guest services.
Broader impact
Beyond the water safety contract, the development is an engine for massive job creation, with estimates suggesting it will generate over 800 direct jobs and approximately 1 500 indirect positions through the broader supply chain once operational.
The impact is already being felt during the current construction phase, which employs 1 500 workers, the majority of whom are residents from the neighbouring community.
Read/listen:
Stellar 2025 for listed property, and these were the top Property Pod episodes
Cape Town gets ‘seven-star’ Marriott Edition hotel
Club Med: What SA’s most expensive resort means for destination-scale tourism
Ilembe Chamber boss on the North Coast property boom
Club Med R2bn beach resort for KZN North Coast [Sept 2023]
ADVERTISEMENT:
CONTINUE READING BELOW
The NSRI currently operates across 131 locations nationwide, relying on a network of 1 500 volunteers alongside full-time staff.
Dirk Coetzee, business development manager at the NSRI noted that this partnership with Club Med SA allows the organisation to leverage its existing reputation for “operational excellence” to support SA’s tourism safety sector.
Listen: Club Med SA beach resort will ‘change the North Coast forever’
You can also listen to this podcast on iono.fm here.
Follow Moneyweb’s in-depth finance and business news on WhatsApp here.
#NSRI #secures #water #safety #role #North #Coast #Club #Med #resort