Heroic act saves beachgoers from serious injury during sardine netting at Winkelspruit

THE son of a well-known seine netter risked his life to protect beachgoers from a snapping rope during sardine netting at a Winkelspruit beach, resulting in a serious injury that requires surgery.

Kioshan Govender, 30, son of Amanzimtoti Beach superintendent and third-generation seine netter Jace Govender, will undergo surgery to his leg today (Wednesday) after the rope snapped and cut through his ankle and lower leg.

In an interview with the POST, Kioshan said the sea conditions were rough on Monday and the public did not adhere to safety instructions from the crew.

“We were pulling out the second net for the morning. The public made their way to the beach and were standing very close to the ropes.

“The right wing of the net started to wash quickly into the current causing the rope to get pulled into the water very fast. It moved across the beach near the adults and children who were trying to pick up sardines that had fallen out of the net.

“The crew warned them that the ropes would injure them but nobody listened. I knew I had to secure the rope to the van to avoid people being injured and while doing that, the rope snapped and wrapped around my ankle. 

“With the amount of pressure and weight of the net, the rope cut through my leg. I could do nothing but watch in horror. Luckily my cousin Pregan, who was part of the team, noticed that I was screaming. He cut the rope with his knife. If he had not done that, my leg would have been amputated,” Kioshan added.

He was treated by his father, Jace, on the beach and rushed to hospital, where doctors told him that he suffered massive tissue loss.

“Today I will undergo surgery to repair some tissue and have skin grafting. I am diabetic and hope I recover from this injury so I can get back to doing what I love. 

“While netting, we are aware of the risks, but my priority was to secure the rope so that nobody was injured. In doing that, I myself was injured.  If the rope had come into contact with a child, it could have been fatal.

“The problem is that the people behave badly. They do not understand the dangers involved with netting. A net with fish can weigh up to 12 tons. It is a commercial operation, and if the rope snaps it could take your legs off and kill you.

“All people see is the free fish and they put themselves and us at risk,” he said.

With the school holidays, Kioshan said families have been flocking to the beach, and many of them had put their children in harm's way.

“We do not have a choice of where we net. It is dependent on where the fish is and which way the current pushes us. But the public have a choice of where on the beach they can safely watch the sardines being netted.

“We have seen vans get dragged across the beach, and 80 staff members struggle to control the nets during strong currents. People get upset when we warn them to stay away from the ropes. They say it is a public beach and they can be wherever they want to be. But they do not realise that the warning is for their own safety,” he added.

Jace said Kioshan was a hero, who risked his own life to ensure the public was safe.

He said their netting was stopped until Kioshan’s surgery was complete.

“People underestimate the power of the ocean. A wave may look small but it has so much power and velocity it could move a five ton net with ease. We also do not stop people from taking the fish that falls out of the net. But only when it is safe to do so,” he added.

He said some people were greedy and acted maliciously during the netting.

“I have a licence and legal rights to net sardines. When the fish is in the net it belongs to the netters. Out of courtesy, the netters give people surplus fish.

“But some people have the mentality that the fish is from God and it is from the ocean so it is theirs. They carry razor blades and cut the net to let fish out so that they can grab it. 

“That is malicious damage to property and theft. We are monitoring this so that we can make an arrest and set an example to those who do this,” he added.

THE POST