I have been asked this question so many times I think primarily as you are on the south coast of South Africa and the water is cold. Cold water means big sharks normally, and while I don't have a shark phobia (I'm Australian and an ocean lover so you kind of get a little blasé about it), I am assuming that yes of course there are sharks. I swum most days and didn't even think of it but the last day one of our group told us that was why he hadn't swum. Make an informed decision yourself.