The modern History of the South African Great White Shark

In our upcoming talk, on Thursday, 13 November 2025, at the Lagoon Room, Beacon Island Resort, we will explore the waters of our bay with speaker Bruce Noble, who will take us back to the tragic events of Black December 1957. Between December 1957 and April 1958, at least nine shark attacks occurred along the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, resulting in the loss of six lives.

This alarming rise in shark activity caused many tourists to flee the Durban area, leading to a devastating impact on the local economy. In a bid to protect swimmers and surfers, local authorities made hasty attempts based on limited research into the reasons behind this increase in shark encounters. Many will recall the emergency measures taken, which included enclosures constructed from wooden poles and netting.

Additionally, a South African Navy frigate even dropped depth charges into the coastal waters. While this action resulted in a few shark fatalities, it also killed a vast number of other marine species. Ironically, this led to more sharks being attracted to the area to feed on the dead fish.

Bruce Noble will discuss how the events of 1957 and the indiscriminate killing of white sharks continue to affect us today, impacting our waters, tourism, and the entire ocean ecosystem. Since 2004, Bruce has been observing white shark behavior in the Garden Route, providing him with valuable insights on this important topic.

Event Details Here