HE has a solid position to fill as the new station commander of the National Sea Rescue Institute Station 37 (J-Bay).
But the 28 year-old Michael van den Bergh is precisely what long standing Station Commander and founding member, Rieghardt Janse van Rensburg, might have had in mind when he said that young blood should be given the opportunity to lead.
Janse van Rensburg, the last remaining founding member of the station who has reached the end of his three times 3-year tenure, handed over the reigns to Van den Bergh at a recent special ceremony held at the station.
The event was further used as an opportunity to hand over two CEO Letters of Appreciation to Thea Fox Marx and Pablo Thysman for successful rescues conducted using NSRI Pink Rescue Buoys.
Janse van Rensburg also handed Ernie Schmidt a StatCom Letter of Appreciation for his five years of service as Deputy Station Commander.
Michael was born in Cape Town, but has been in Jeffreys Bay since 2004. He did primary school in the city, Jeffreys Bay and in Botswana, but completed his education at the High School Nico Malan in Humansdorp.
“I’ve always been involved in some form of charity or community-based organisation. I would join my mom at the SPCA.” This is where his passion started to help others – first the animals, and as he matured, people.”
How did he get involved at the NSRI?
“At the time, I was looking for something new to get involved in. While at main beach on my lunch break, deciding whether to surf or not, I saw the NSRI guys training.”
It piqued Michael’s interest.
When Michael approached them, they welcomed him immediately, true to the nature of the local station. “I was received with open arms. They even explained what they were currently training for,” says Michael.
He persuaded his friend to join him, and the rest is history. “The very next Sunday we reported for training. I have now been involved for seven years.”
He joined the station in 2012 and quickly progressed through the ranks. During the election in September this year, Michael was elected as the new Station Commander by die eligible crew of the station. His appointment was ratified by the NSRI Operations Support Committee. Janse van Rensburg will remain on the Station as Deputy Station Commander and Class III Coxswain.
Michael believes it should be mandatory to escape the ordinary.
