A Mitchells Plain fisherman has hailed two lifeguards who fished him out and saved his life after he was swept out to sea by a rip current while chasing after a moerse kabeljou his friend had caught.
Heinrich Hans, 47, says he nearly died trying to pull in the whopping 20kg catch, while fishing at the popular Biespens angling spot near Mnandi Beach.
Hans, who has been fishing since he was 14, tells the Daily Voice: "It happened last Thursday and I was showing this guy how to fish with live bait.
“The guy caught the fish and he reeled it in. It was about five metres away and got stuck in a reef.
“We are used to going out to that reef and untangling nets so I didn't see it as a big deal and I really wanted that guy to get his fish."
But Hans was suddenly swept away in a rip current.
He explains: "It swept me out about 400 metres and I was fighting for my life.
“I did lifesaving for a year but at that point all my training just went out the window and all I was trying to do was stay above water and get air.
“Another fisherman named Rameez Majiet managed to swim to me, but as he could not stand in the water we thought it's best for him to go out before we panic and drown each other, because the water was very rough."
He says another fisherman named Wayne Solomons drove towards Mnandi Beach to alert the lifeguards and Sinethemba Jikela and Dominic Smith responded.
Sinethemba swam out and recovered Hans who had nearly passed out.
Dominic said this was Sinethemba’s first season as a lifeguard at a Cape Town Beach.
Dominic adds: "He [Hans] was very tired from all the fighting and just a few minutes later he would have been a goner. He had already swallowed water and was starting to vomit.
“That area is very dangerous and the sea was very rough on the day. We have had many drownings there as the area is known for the dangerous rip currents."
Hans, who is a father of four, was rushed to hospital by paramedics and says he was “150% sure he was going to die”.
“When my wife arrived, she was very worried en sy het my uitgek@k because just last year I had a heart attack while busy with a shark.
“I was hospitalised for water in my lungs but I am fine now.
“I went fishing again but I must admit I was a bietjie bang. I am very grateful to the lifeguards and I have learnt to never play with the sea, next time rather cut off the line."
monique.duval@inl.co.za