Dear Hermanus Special Rating Area (HSRA) Property Owner,

During August

• HPP Board Members met with Eastcliff Property Owners to discuss safety issues in their suburb.
• The Board attended the Human Trafficking Campaign Launch hosted by the Overstrand Municipality.
• Stephen Grundlingh (HPP Operations Director) and Marcia Bown (HPP Executive Officer) met with the Overstrand Municipality’s Municipal Manager and the Director of Municipal Public Safety regarding HPP’s participation in the Incident Command Centre.
• HPP’s Annual General meeting will be held on Thursday 29 August.

Interaction with Property Owners

One of my most rewarding experiences as an HPP Board Member is to interact, face to face, with the HSRA’s property owners. The meetings provide an opportunity to address concerns, co-create plans and build relationships.

The meeting held with Eastcliff Property owners in the past month, is a good example. Such meetings generally cover topics such as crime trends, the placement of surveillance cameras, plans to fund and place additional cameras, the frequency of patrols, etc. If readers wish to arrange a meetings of this nature, please email the HPP Executive Officer at info@hpp.org.za .

I also remind you that HPP’s Board Members are specifically selected to represent the CBD and the major residential areas to facilitate such meetings. To remind you, the Board members are:

Fransien Koegelenberg – who represents the CBD as a portfolio and lives in Fernkloof

Sarah Taylor – Westcliff

Peter Doble – Northcliff

Philip- Ben Kotze – Eastcliff

Ann Wright – Hermanus Heights

Stephen Grundlingh – Fernkloof Village

Leon Rauch – Fernkloof

Rod MacLeod – Voëlklip

I live in Hermanus Heights

I would like to commend the groups of property owners who frequently meet with HPP representatives:

• The handful of Northcliff residents who walk the streets with Marcia Bown and discuss safety plans
• The Kwaaiwater property owners who have launched a surveillance camera project
• Trevor Edwards who heads up the CBD Cluster Group
• Deon de Kock of the Westcliff Residents’ Association
• The numerous individual property owners who interact with us

During recent meetings with property owners the following points were emphasised:

• HPP is mandated to supplement municipal services in public places. Property owners are responsible for securing their own properties and HPP cannot be held responsible for unfortunate incidents such as burglaries and theft. Please safeguard your homes by locking doors, ensuring good outside lighting, installing and activating alarm systems and remaining alert.

• Criminals are very clever. They know how to dress when prowling our streets at night, so that their faces cannot be recognised. They know where surveillance cameras have been placed, how they are positioned and what the cameras can and cannot detect.

• Criminals seek work at building sites to obtain information on surrounding properties and their vulnerabilities. (If building takes place on your property, please make sure that the builder screens labourers and obtains their contact details).

• Contact the HPP Control Room immediately at 087 550 5295 if you wish to report an incident or concern.

Extract from HPP’s Daily Operational Reports

The daily reports from the HPP Control Room during the past month provide a view of what our Public Safety Officers do. The following incidents were reported:

• A car window was broken in a residential street; fortunately, nothing was stolen.
• The owner of a vehicle with lights left on was promptly notified.
• Homeowners were informed of open doors or garage doors.
• The owner of a dog found running in the street was contacted using the number on the dog’s collar tag.
• The Control Room notified the Fire Brigade about a fire in the mountain.
• Suspected abalone poaching activity was reported to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment.
• HPP’s intervention led to SAPS arresting an individual in possession of stolen goods.
• Trolleys were inspected to ensure no stolen items were present.
• Shopping trolleys were returned to their respective retailers.
• A conflict between two individuals in the CBD was de-escalated.
• Intoxicated persons were escorted out of the CBD to ensure safety.
• Persons operating as informal car guards in the CBD were asked to vacate the area.
• Public Safety Officers searched for two individuals suspected of shoplifting; unfortunately, HPP was alerted after the incidents occurred.
• Individuals soliciting money in public spaces were engaged with in line with policy.
• People exhibiting suspicious behaviour were monitored and addressed appropriately.
• Persons who had set up temporary shelters in Swallows’ Park were asked to relocate.

Please attend the HPP AGM which will be held at 18:00 on Thursday 29 August in the Whale Room of the Windsor Hotel.

HPP NPC members must register to attend the meeting via email info@hpp.org.za . Details of the meeting can be found on https://hpp.org.za/ . Should you wish to nominate a proxy to act for you at the AGM, please complete the Form of Proxy and return it signed with the relevant documentation to  info@hpp.org.za by 12:00, Thursday, 29 August 2024.

Any specific questions for the Board may be submitted in writing prior to the AGM to info@hpp.org.za.

As always, HPP urges you to remain vigilant and to be safe.

Jerry van Niekerk

HPP Chair

E-Mail: chairperson@hpp.org.za

Website: https://hpp.org.za