On Saturday 26 January 2019, a lightning strike caused the death of a Somerset College rowing coach and injured a member of the rowing team who is a student at the College.
The team was attending the first rowing regatta of 2019, which was being held at Germiston Lake in Gauteng.
The coach, Nick Whaits, is a recent alumnus of Somerset College, having matriculated in 2017 and his brother is currently a Grade 11 student in the Senior School. Nick will be remembered as an intelligent, kind and genuine person who took a delight in mentoring younger students.
During his long association with Somerset College, he earned the admiration of peers and elders alike for his compassion and commitment.
The injured student is currently in hospital in a stable condition.
The other members of the rowing team returned to Cape Town on Saturday evening and were received by parents and staff who conveyed the news to them and offered support.
The College followed an amended timetable on Monday 28 January commencing with a memorial assembly.
Support has been offered to students, alumni, parents and staff by the College trauma counsellors and the Student Development Unit. All flags on campus are to be flown at half-mast and members of the Somerset College community are invited to wear black armbands as a sign of mourning in solidarity with the bereaved.
Graham Sayer, executive head, said in his letter to parents, staff and students, “Nicholas’s legacy of fun and belonging is one which we will cherish. We extend our sincere condolences and love to Nicholas’s family in this time of pain and loss. They are a family renowned for their contribution to our school and we will continue to lift them up in our thoughts and prayers.”
