Border surfer dies in horrific shark attack at Port St Johns
BY DAVID MACGREGOR
Daily Despatch – Port Alfred Bureau
THE most dangerous beach in the world for shark attacks has claimed its fifth victim in three years after a teenage surfing sensation was mauled to death in Port St Johns on Saturday afternoon.
The tragic death of up-and-coming Border star Zama Ndamase, 16, in front of his brother, Avuyile, and his surfing buddies at Second Beach has sent shockwaves through the close knit local surfing community.
The Lodge owner Mike Gatke – who was sitting on his verandah watching Zama and his mates surf – yesterday told the Dispatch the horrific attack had left surfers at the 300 metre stretch of beach “traumatized”.
“It was hectic…I heard screaming and shouting and saw Zama splashing the water before he was pulled off his board.
“I saw the blood in the water and realized he had been attacked.”
A stunned Gatke saw the terrified teenager bravely try to paddle to safety – while his horrified friends scattered in all directions to the safety of the beach.
“He somehow got back on the board and even managed to catch a wave almost to the beach, but was swept back out to sea by a rip current.
“His friends watched helplessly from the sand.”
According to Gatke, who mentored Zama and his mates at the acclaimed Ilitha Surfing Academy, the talented teenager’s mother and sister – who live at Second Beach – were there when his lifeless body was finally pulled from the water by lifeguards on a jet ski.
He is believed to have died from loss of blood after the shark tore into his left thigh – severing an artery.
Although the Port St Johns surfers were given several state-of-the-art Shark Shield devices – which prevent attacks by creating an electric field around a surfer – more than a year ago, Zama was not wearing one when he was bitten.
Only one of the four or five surfers who were in the water when the shark attacked was wearing a device – which has a very limited protective radius – and was nowhere near Zama when he was bitten.
“He was too scared to even try and pull Zama out the water when he was still alive and near the beach.”
By the time lifeguards secured a Shark Shield to their rescue jetski and sped off to help the bleeding youngster it was already to late and all they could do was fish his lifeless body from the sea.
Top Border surfer David “Herbie” Malherbe – who lives on the Wild Coast – yesterday said a lasting solution to the Second Beach spate of five fatal shark attacks in three years needed to be urgently formulated.
“If half this number of attacks had happened at most other beaches in the country there would have been massive outrage and preventative action taken, but obviously due to weak local government/municipalities and the location nothing has happened.”
Second Beach has become known as the most deadly beach in the world after five people were savaged to death in the sea there.
According to Gatke a sixth body was found on the beach – a week before Christmas last year – with bite marks on it, but locals are still unsure whether the man drowned or was attacked by a shark.
According to Vaughan Meecham – who has managed the Border Junior Team for the past three years – the news “has absolutely devastated the Border Province.”
He said Zama had developed from a “cocky little boy to a very talented surfer who was chosen at the 2010 Grommet Games to be a part of the Surfing South Africa Development Team.”
Meecham said he realized when he chatted with Zama’s brother, Avu, after the attack how much “love these two boys shared for each other.”
“Avu said….’my brother died doing something he loved best, and that was surfing’.”
“Sometimes he spoke about the shark attacks that took a few of his friends in Port St John’s…he was very aware of the threat but could not resist the Port St John’s break, which he would argue is one of the best in the world.”
Malcome Logie, the Border junior Team coach said: “he was a young guy, full of spirit and always ready for a laugh.“
“There is real concern that the surfers who were in the water during the attack will not be able to cope and plans are being made to send a counselor to the area to help the locals handle the tragedy.”
An appeal has been made to help raise funds for counseling and to help the Ndmase family.
“All funds raised will be used to assist the Ndamase family with expenses and contribute to the costs of sending a grief counselor to work with the family and the community
Kowie Boardriders Club 