SA Ocean Hero Wade Naude Presents at World’s Biggest Shark Conference!

Wade Naude dances to teach kids about the ocean and bridges communities that colonialism disconnected from nature. He’s just made his community back home proud after presenting at Sharks International.... The post SA Ocean Hero Wade Naude Presents at World’s Biggest Shark Conference! appeared first on Good Things Guy.

May 28, 2026 - 07:44

SA Ocean Hero Wade Naude Presents at World’s Biggest Shark Conference!

Wade Naude dances to teach kids about the ocean and bridges communities that colonialism disconnected from nature. He’s just made his community back home proud after presenting at Sharks International.

Cape Town, South Africa (28 May 2026) – Wade Naude is the spirited and inspiring Community Programme Coordinator and Language Accessibility Advocate at the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Education Centre in Kalk Bay.

Naude is riding a massive wave of community pride after presenting at Sharks International, the largest and most prestigious shark conference in the world, which was held in Sri Lanka this year.

“We are incredibly proud of the way Wade represented not only his research, but also the SOSF Shark Education Centre and his community on such a global stage…” shares the Save Our Seas Foundation, a local NGO that connects the public to the ocean through education programmes focused on sharks.

Photo Credit: Save Our Seas Shark Education Centre

Wade’s journey to becoming an advocate for our oceans is incredibly inspiring. In his story shared by the foundation, Wade speaks about growing up in the under-resourced community of Magnolia Flats in Paarl. Wade only visited the ocean once or twice a year as a child.

Raised by his grandmother while his self-employed mother worked tirelessly as a hairdresser, Wade faced the challenges common to many young people growing up in the ghettos, where positive role models were scarce.

Determined to forge a different path, Wade chose a positive circle of friends who shared a love for dance. Together they brought joy to their neighbourhood, setting up Bluetooth speakers on street corners and organising community showcases to give local kids a safe, creative outlet.

It was during this time that Wade fell in love with KRUMP, a highly expressive, high-energy style of dance born in Los Angeles as a peaceful outlet for youth dealing with surrounding violence.

He realised that movement could express complex emotions without needing words. It was a universal language.

Alongside his rhythm, a curiosity for science began to brew. In 2020, Wade took a leap of faith and enrolled in a Marine Science diploma at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. It changed everything. He found that no matter how far inland someone lives, everyone is inherently connected to the sea.

He also noticed a profound disconnection between under-resourced communities and nature.

Naude saw that historic injustices like colonisation and apartheid forced Indigenous descendants – the Khoi and San, who were the original custodians of the land and sea – into environments focused purely on day-to-day modern survival.

“It makes it hard to appreciate nature if you have to worry about what you will eat tonight,” Wade explains, as per Save Our Seas. “The issue is deeper than telling people in under-resourced communities to start recycling and conserving nature. We must find ways to reconnect them with nature by meeting them halfway.”

Wade’s approach to ocean literacy has been turning heads. Last year, he took home the Best Speaker award at the 8th Southern Africa Shark and Ray Symposium for his presentation on ‘Decolonising the Terminology and Language in Marine Education.’

Wade uses his incredible story, dance, and energy to educate children who visit the Save Our Seas Foundation Shark Education Centre from under-resourced communities. His daily mission is to break down deep-seated misperceptions and fears about the ocean, specifically helping kids understand and love sharks.

“The issue is deeper than telling people in under-resourced communities to start recycling and conserving nature. We must find ways to reconnect them with nature by meeting them halfway.”

“Presenting alongside leading shark scientists, conservationists, educators and researchers from around the world is an incredible achievement, and a true reflection of his hard work, passion, and dedication.” shares Save Our Seas in celebration of Wade.