About Izivunguvungu

My love for the ocean stemmed from a very young age - I grew up on the Cape flats, my father and grandfather were both fisherman. Growing up I use to admire the boats on the ocean when we visited family in Ocean view,and always thought one day I wanna be on those boats. At 14 I joined the National Sea Rescue Institute Station 16. I had a passion for volunteering and saving lives and progress through ranks and at 21 I was eligible to become a coxwain. Brian Dadlow a member of the police forum invited me to visit a sailing school in Simonstown I jumped at the opportunity. We were welcomed by Ian Ainsley and Mathew Mentz, they showed us around and we got to go out for a sail on the bosun dinghy. I thought I knew boats but these sailing boats were different and even though I was not very good at it, I was determined to master sailing. My parent's were very supportive of my new sport as my dad never wanted me to be a fisherman. A couple of months later I met Anthony Steward, he taught me some basic boat building skills and I started accompanying him on quality checks of luxury catamarans in the VNA and this is where my eyes were opened to what sailing could do for me. In 20.. Ian Ainsley offered me a position at Izivunguvungu, I accepted immediately. I started sailing on the navy yachts and did my first ocean crossing with John Martin, I was fortunate enough to be a Cape to Rio Skipper. Sailing to different countries was now part of my life. I am now the Sailing Manager of the sailing school I started sailing at, Izivunguvungu MSC Foundation for Youth. I see myself in my students and hope they too will achieve thier dreams.

A father and grandfather, I joined Izivunguvungu in 2007 restoring the well known Voortrekker yacht. I was offered permanent employment at Izivunguvungu in 2014. I am a boat builder by trade and I am passionate about restoration work. My hobbies include restoring antique furniture, angling and hiking in the mountains which I do regularly. I'm drawn to working with underpriviledged and unskilled people of all ages. I love sharing my skills with my students that I often take them home on weekends to sleep over and teach them how to work with various power tools on antique furniture. When I'm asked to restore private yachts, I ask my students to assist me which in turn give them more practical boat building experience. My responsibilities at Izivunguvungu are to look after the maintenance of our fleet of dinghies and keelboats. I teach the students how to do the repairwork and to maintain the fleet to be seaworthy at all times. I also assist the Sailing Manager on a daily basis and at all the regattas.