If you’ve ever visited Linden Swimming Pool, you’ve likely met Neil Stewart — the Acting Superintendent and lifeguard whose calm presence and friendly smile reassure visitors that they’re in safe hands.

Stewart is not one to boast about his experience, yet behind his modest demeanour lies a story that began long before he first put on a lifeguard’s shirt. Before joining the City of Johannesburg, he worked as a general worker in a factory. Friends who recognised his love for swimming, fitness, and calm temperament encouraged him to apply for a lifeguard post with the City. Eventually, he took the leap.

He had no idea then that he was stepping into a career that would define nearly three decades of his life. Stewart joined the City on 1 September 1998, beginning at Roosevelt Swimming Pool. In 2002, he was transferred to Coronationville Swimming Pool — a place with deep personal roots. As a child, he spent Sundays swimming there after delivering lunch to his grandmother, who served as the pool cashier for 18 years. Returning as a lifeguard felt like stepping back into a cherished childhood memory.

By 2006, Stewart settled at Linden Swimming Pool, where he remains driven by the Batho Pele principle of “people first”. It guides everything he does — from rescues and daily operations to casual conversations with pool users. To him, lifeguarding is more than a job; it is a calling. “There is no greater responsibility than one human being saving another,” he says.

Outside of work, Stewart enjoys going to the gym. And while many know him as the steady, dependable superintendent, few know he once had an unexpected hobby — DJing. These days, the turntables have made way for family time, which he says is now his greatest joy.

Stewart is also passionate about the broader role public swimming pools play in communities, especially those with limited resources. He believes that public pools should operate and be heated all year round, both to create jobs for hundreds of lifeguards and to give young people a safe, constructive space to learn, exercise, and belong.

As the holiday season approaches, Stewart shares key pool safety reminders:

“Alcohol and swimming never mix. Stay away from any intoxication when swimming. Know where the shallow and deep ends are and never enter the water if you can’t see the bottom. Be safe around the pool and enjoy the sunny days.”

Written by Brümilda Swartbooi