In 1994 Mandla Ngazini arrived at White Shark Projects on his bicycle, seeking mandla 2employment. Having just arrived in Gansbaai from the Eastern Cape, Mandla had never worked on the ocean before. Craig Ferreira, the owner of White Shark Projects at the time, told Mandla to come back the next morning when they were going out to sea.

Not expecting to see Mandla ever again, Craig was very surprised to find Mandla waiting for him, ready to go out to sea. Mandla had no training when he started with White Shark Projects. Now he is a registered tour guide, is an open water diver, has his driver’s license, has done a computer course and numerous life-saving and firefighting courses. Mandla was also the first black skipper trained for a commercial vessel.

Mandla currently holds a leadership position in the company and is respected by his fellow crew members. He proudly provides for his family and Mandla is an esteemed member of his community. Thanks to him, there are now educational and upliftment projects running in Masekhane. White Shark Projects backed him and these projects to ensure their sustainability.

Mandla took it upon himself to take children from his community on explorative trips to the tidal pools on his off days -teaching them about the ocean and its creatures, how to conserve them and that they shouldn’t just take from the ocean but that they should also give something back. When Mandla was asked how he has adjusted to the Western Cape he said: “When we swim in the Eastern Cape, we swim with our eyes closed. When I swim here in Gansbaai, I swim with my eyes open.”

White Shark Projects is about more than shark cage diving. Their 21 staff members have a range of qualifications that enable them, as a team, to effectively coordinate activities around Great White Sharks which include:

1.Service delivery

2.Conservation

3.Education and

4.Research

“We are committed to working in harmony with our natural and social environment. The expectations of clients are met by excellent customer service, good value, and operational efficiency.

Our crew and staff are distinguished by their functional and technical expertise, their slide-2hands-on experience and their passion for one of the ocean’s greatest predatory forces.

Our knowledgeable and efficient boat crew operates with the benefit of 15 years’ experience in Great White Shark research, conservation and ecotourism”.

Contact SW Africa for any inquiries or to book a shark-diving trip with White Shark Projects in Gansbaai.