Schools participating in the Rodean School Water Polo Prestige Cup aren’t just putting talents in the water toward winning; they’re also using them to empower others by teaching underprivileged school learners water safety and how to swim! Thanks to initiatives like Learn-to-Swim, athletes like Zamokhule Brown were able to earn spots on the Gauteng provincial water polo team!
Johannesburg, South Africa (21 February 2025) — Thanks to a fantastic initiative from schools in Johannesburg, participating in the Rodean School Water Polo Prestige Cup is synonymous with community upliftment.
Statistics show that an average of 1,477 fatal drownings happen annually in South Africa, with research adding that this crisis disproportionately affects low-income communities (for whom swimming facilities access and water safety training are scarce).
In response, the Roedean School Water Polo Prestige Cup hopes to change this by making water safety education more accessible. As such, all participating schools are playing their part by teaming up with under-resourced schools to teach basic principles of water safety and drowning prevention whilst also contributing to the physical health, confidence, social inclusion and sports opportunities for other young people!
Teaming up to Make a Wave of Change:
- Reddam House Bedfordview paired with Tokoza Learn-to-Swim
- St Dominic’s Catholic School for Girls paired with Emaromeni Catholic Primary School
- Kingsmead College paired with Parkhurst Primary School
- Crawford International paired with Witkoppen Primary School
- St Mary’s Waverley paired with HA Jack Primary School
- St Stithians College paired with Thandulwazi Maths and Science Academy
- Roedean School (SA) paired with Roedean Academy (an initiative providing additional tuition to scholars from under-resourced schools – Barnato Park High School and Newgate College)
- Roedean School (SA) paired with Johannesburg Girls Primary School
- Beaulieu College paired with Diepsloot Primary School
“The Prestige Cup is about creating lasting change in our communities,” says Marcel Lamont, Head of Sport at Roedean School. “By combining competitive water polo with our Learn-to-Swim initiative, we’re developing athletes and ultimately saving lives. Every child who learns to swim represents a family that’s safer around water.”
Zamokhule Brown, a Learn-to-Swim programme graduate who has been selected for the Gauteng provincial water polo team for the past four years, highlights the initiative’s transformative power:
“When I first started, I couldn’t imagine being part of a provincial team…The programme didn’t just teach me to swim – it showed me that with the right support, I can achieve anything. Now, I want to inspire others from my community to embrace water sports.”
“What makes this initiative truly special is the partnership between schools,” adds Marcel. “Each participating school has embraced its roles, sharing its expertise, facilities and resources. The result is a programme that’s creating meaningful change across Johannesburg, one swimming lesson at a time.”
About Learn-to-Swim
The Learn-to-Swim initiative is an accredited children’s swimming programme that takes children on an empowering journey to develop their confidence and competence in the water.
Having impacted approximately 10,000 students since its inception and currently serving about 1,000 pupils, the programme highlights that sports have the power to both change and save lives.
“We are proud to be focused on our mission to make drownings a thing of the past through this initiative,” concludes Marcel.
An Update on the Rodean School Water Polo Prestige Cup
As for the Rodean School Water Polo Prestige Cup, Roedean dominated pool A, claiming victories in their opening match against Crawford College International (Lonehill), while St Stithians saw a tremendous comeback on day two, scoring a 14-2 win against Crawford College International (Lonehill).
The last three matches of the event produced 40 goals, of which the majority were scored by Beaulieu College, Roedean School as well as St Stithians College.
The final round will take place in October, allowing for lots of time to prepare with intensified training.
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