Monwabisi (Monwa) Sikweyiya is a devoted field manager at Shark Spotters, often seen driving along the breathtaking coastline from Kogel Bay to Fish Hoek daily. Armed with a warm smile, his responsibilities include supporting the team, providing spotters with equipment, and ensuring they execute their tasks effectively. This year, Monwa celebrates 20 years of service with the organization, having joined the team in 2004 as one of the first spotters. 

Monwa’s story is one of hope and perseverance. His early life experiences laid a solid foundation for his role as a shark spotter. For Monwa, his love for the water began at Monwabisi Beach, where his mother, his first teacher, encouraged him to swim and led by example by treading and swimming with him. The jagged rocky shores and deceptive riptides were perhaps an ideal teaching ground, as this beach is one of the most dangerous in the country. This is where he was involved in helping strangers with serious near-drowning cases even before becoming a lifeguard at 16.

In 1996, Monwa became a lifeguard at the Monwabisi Life Saving Club in Khayelitsha. While being a lifeguard was not traditionally seen as a symbol of success—often overshadowed by the allure of being a drug dealer with fancy cars and beautiful homes—becoming a lifeguard and a professional lifesaver from 1997 to 2003 helped him stay on a safe path.

In his early years at Shark Spotters, Monwa, like many others, did not expect sharks to dwell so close to shore, assuming they inhabited deep, offshore ecosystems. However, he quickly adapted, learning to read the behaviour and patterns of sharks in the water. 

“I remember being quite surprised during the first weeks and months at how calm the sharks were. Their behaviour is completely different from what we see on TV. On TV, you see a hunting shark, but in reality, you see a shark just swimming and minding its own business,” Monwa recalls. With sharp observational skills learnt from being a lifesaver, he soon began to determine how much of a concern a shark’s presence was based on its proximity to surfers and the direction it was moving. 

Monwa shared stories of how, with time, the community began to recognize and trust Shark Spotters. Many surfers would drive up to Boyes Drive to witness the sharks in the water themselves rather than going home. He recalls over a hundred people surrounding him, curious about the sharks and interested in understanding how the program worked.  

The shark spotting program has grown and improved over the years. In its infancy, any shark spotted in the area meant that the beach needed to be cleared. This reaction, along with the shark incident in Muizenberg, meant that much of the response from the organization was fear-based. However, four years later, he admits that an incident in Fish Hoek prompted difficult conversations to refine and improve the method. These conversations no longer centered around preparing for the worst but focused on actualizing protocols for when the worst does happen. 

Twenty years later, Monwa is grateful for meeting the many people who have raised Shark Spotters and made the organization what it is today. He admits that he has learned so much from different people, whether they were fishermen, scientists, surfers, or other individuals in False Bay. His biggest lesson was mastering calmness, a valuable skill for a first responder. Throughout his career, he has helped shark bite victims and distressed beachgoers, admitting that it is in his nature to want to help others. An example of this is the 2011 shark incident at Fish Hoek beach where Monwa improvised a tourniquet with his waistbelt and wetsuit shorts to manage the victims bleeding – luckily, the victim survived. Though his lifesaving days are over, he continues to be a ‘life saver’, helping any person who might be in an emergency.  These various events and interactions have been pivotal in shaping how he views a world with sharks. While there were many challenges, he looks back fondly at his time and envisions a future that only gets better for the organization.

In a few words, Monwa says his relationship with sharks has shifted from fear to respect and from misunderstanding to appreciation. His perception shifted over time because 95% of the sharks he has spotted have been relaxed, mainly patrolling the area without posing a threat. His respect for sharks stems from their authority, capability, and dominance in the water, which he says is magnificent to witness. He admits with a laugh of excitement that his favourite shark is the great white. Passing on his mother’s teachings, Monwa helps train many of the team members to swim and become water comfortable, a special gift that can save lives. When asked what motivates him and keeps him going, he says emotionally, it is “being myself.” It may not be easy, but it is vital to honor yourself in all you do. It has led him down this wonderful path after all. 

 

Written by: Jamila Janna