Shark attack beach closed - Telegraph Pictures taken on Sunday show lifeguards wading nervously into the sea to pull the badly-injured Mr Msungubana to safety. They placed him on a surfboard to bring him to shore where, Mr Costello said, he was treated by a doctor who had been on the beach before paramedics arrived. "At the clinic medical staff declared the man dead after all efforts to save him had been exhausted," he added. Witnesses told how they watched in horror as the shark approached Mr Msungubana who, perhaps mindful of the risk, was only waist-deep in the water. Eyewitness Cebo Mafuna told that he was bodysurfing close to the shore when he saw the creature's fin. "It was about a foot high but it didn't look like a big shark," he said. Provincial health spokesman Sizwe Kupelo said "brave" Mr Msungubana fought with the shark for a "good five minutes." "His injuries were severe, but while he was fighting for his life, he was shouting for others to get out of the water," he added. Nonceba Madikizela, a spokesman for Port St Johns municipality, said it had decided to close the beach to swimmers until the Natal Sharks Board completes its investigation - said to be in August. "We were constantly putting warning signs on the beach about the high number of shark attacks but people were vandalising them and removing them," she said. Lifeguards have now been instructed not to allow anyone in to the water and police will be monitoring the beach to ensure people comply. We understand that we will lose some revenue from the tourists that come down but we believe that the safety of people is more important than any revenue.