Teen saves himself due to King David swimming lessons

A 14-year-old Alexandra pupil fell into the fast-moving Jukskei River in Johannesburg during heavy rains on 5 May. Had Lesetja Mokonyama not learned to swim through a partnership programme between King David High School and the Alexandra Youth Swim Academy, he would certainly have drowned. 

Instead, Mokonyama didn’t panic and relied on the survival techniques he’d been taught during his weekly swimming lessons. He focused on controlling his breathing, staying calm, and keeping himself afloat, skills repeatedly reinforced through the programme’s water safety training. 

Mokonyama – who had been heading from school to an extra lesson at the Phuthaditjhaba Afrika Tikkun centre – was eventually able to move towards the river bank, where people helped him to safety. 

Despite the life-threatening experience, he still went off to his lesson. 

His mother, Julie Mokonyama, said her son had asked to take the swimming lessons. 

“He’s a respectful, quiet, helpful, and very handy guy in everything he does. He is academic. He loves cooking, planning, and dancing,” she said. 

Jodi Starkowitz, marketing manager at King David Schools, said hearing that a pupil had survived because of the programme was deeply affirming for everyone involved. 

“It’s incredible to see our programme saving lives,” said Starkowitz. “Of course we always speak about the potential of saving a life should one of our swimmers ever be faced with the challenge, but to see it play out in real life affirms that what we are doing really does make a difference.” 

The partnership was established in 2023 to provide swimming lessons and water safety education to children from Alexandra. Through the initiative, pupils are bussed to King David High School every week for swimming instruction and outreach activities alongside King David pupils. 

Starkowitz said the school has always viewed swimming as far more than an extracurricular activity. “King David has been part of the Alexandra Youth Swimming Academy since its inception in 2023. The school sees the importance of teaching all children to swim as a life skill, more than just an extramural. Clearly it literally can save lives,” she said. 

The project has been “extremely successful”. “By the end of 2023, 200 students had been taught through the programme. In 2024, an additional 225 students were successfully trained to swim for survival. An additional 190 students were registered in January 2025. To date, more than 600 students have received training through the academy,” she said. 

The programme has created meaningful experiences and opportunities beyond swimming for the Alexandra pupils. “Not only do they learn to swim, but they play games with our outreach committee students who volunteer every week. They also get to play on grass and in an open field, which we take for granted, but is something that the Alex kids don’t see,” Starkowitz said. 

Participants get healthy meals, while newer initiatives, including soccer and dance programmes, run by pupil volunteers, are helping broaden the impact of the partnership. 

Awareness of the programme’s importance has grown considerably since it began, she said. “When the programme started in 2023, many students and families within our community didn’t realise the impact that this programme could have, but over the years, it has proven itself. We now have people begging to be part of what is fondly called ‘Sunday Swimming’.” 

The recent incident has also renewed conversations around water safety education in South Africa, where drowning remains a significant concern. “I think not enough attention is paid to water safety at all,” Starkowitz said. “As many as 1 500 people drown every year in South Africa, that’s four people a day, most of which are children. The more people we can teach to swim, the better chance they will have if they are ever faced with a situation like this.” 

She emphasised the importance of telling stories like Mokonyama’s responsibly and respectfully. “The focus should never be on exploiting trauma, but on highlighting the positive impact of education, access, and community partnership,” she said. “Ultimately, the goal is to raise awareness and inspire support while always respecting the people at the heart of the story.” 

Looking ahead, Starkowitz said the hope is to expand access to swimming lessons and water safety education. “Our dream is for other schools to join our programme. We have proven that the programme works, that it is successful and worthwhile. The more schools that join us, the more people we can teach to swim, and the safer everyone would be,” she said.