HERMANUS PUBLIC PROTECTION
NEWSLETTER
Keeping our community safe and clean, together
AUGUST 2025
In this edition:
- Note from the Executive Officer
- Homelessness and vagrancy | Coordinating efforts with the Municipality
- Community Safety Forum | A collaborative approach to public safety
- Operational successes | Working together to keep Hermanus safe
AGM Reminder – Thursday, 4 September at 16h00
The Annual General Meeting of HPP will take place this Thursday at the Windsor Hotel in the Whale Room.
Following the meeting, you are warmly invited to join us for a toast in honour of our Chairperson, Jerry van Niekerk, as he concludes his dedicated three-year term.
Thank You, Jerry – A Note from the Executive Officer
As Jerry comes to the end of his three-year term as Chairperson, I want to acknowledge the steady leadership, thoughtful guidance, and generous spirit he has brought to HPP. He has been a source of strength for me, the HPP team, and the wider Hermanus community. His support has helped me grow in my role, and his commitment has made our area safer while building trust and connection so that our community feels both safe and heard.
I hope you will join me in thanking Jerry for his dedication and the lasting, positive difference he has made in the Hermanus Special Rating Area.
Marcia Bown
Executive Officer
Homelessness and Vagrancy
Representatives of the three Overstrand Municipality (OM) Special Ratings Areas (SRAs) met the OM’s Acting Chief Financial Officer Davy Louw and the Public Safety directorate head Neville Michaels to discuss a variety of issues, including homelessness and vagrancy in each area.
In the previous financial year, HPP officers recorded 1 063 interactions involving people without shelter, individuals seeking assistance through begging or informal trading, and the creation of temporary shelters in the Hermanus SRA. These cases represented 19.4% of HPP’s reported incidents during the year.
HPP explained to the officials that while some parties in our community look to HPP to eradicate “these ills” from the HSRA, our role is limited by our mandate to monitor, report and facilitate coordinated responses with the OM.
Our neighbouring SRAs indicated that they are encountering similar challenges, and the OM was asked to assist by involving government departments, such as the Department of Social Development, and working with various stakeholders to address this escalating problem.
HPP’s request was well received with undertakings being made by the OM officials to bring relevant State role-players on board.
Working Together to Keep Hermanus Safe
1 August to 31 August 2025
Reports Received
455
Arrests
11
Waste Collected (KGs)
1365
Community Safety Forum: A collaborative approach to public safety
On 20 August, HPP Executive Officer Marcia Bown along with other SRAs in the Overstrand, attended the OM’s re-established Community Safety Forum (CSF). The forum brought together SAPS, Community Policing Forums, and various municipal and provincial departments to address key safety concerns.
The CSF serves as a collaborative platform to improve coordination between authorities, civil society, and the community, aligning with the Municipality’s Integrated Development Plan (2022-2027), which prioritises proactive crime prevention and stronger communication.
HPP will contribute to developing the Overstrand Community Safety Plan, ensuring the needs of Hermanus ratepayers are represented. Through this collective effort, the forum aims to foster a safer, more resilient community for all.
HPP in action: HPP and partners deliver results
August saw multiple successful interventions by HPP, in partnership with SAPS, Overstrand Law Enforcement, neighbourhood watch groups, private security companies and vigilant residents.
Two attempted vehicle thefts, one in the Industrial Area and another on Swartdam Road, were hindered thanks to sharp CCTV monitoring and rapid SRU response. In Westcliff, a quick-thinking resident alerted HPP to a robbery. CCTV guidance led to the suspects’ arrest and the recovery of the stolen handbag.
In Northcliff, suspicious behaviour near a property prompted an immediate response that ended with three arrests for public intoxication and disorderly conduct. In the CBD, two individuals were arrested for malicious damage after removing a stop sign.
Later in the month, an HPP armed safety officer responded to an incident in the CBD where a pedestrian was struck by a drunk driver. The injured pedestrian received prompt medical care, and the driver was arrested for driving under the influence.
These outcomes reflect the effectiveness of Hermanus’s integrated safety network. Vigilant CCTV operators, responsive public safety officers, law enforcement collaboration and proactive residents all play a key role in keeping public spaces safe.
HPP thanks the Hermanus community for their continued support. Together, we make our town safer.
Meet the Team | Veronica Sello – Watching Hermanus evolve
Each month, we introduce a member of the HPP team. This month, we feature Veronica Sello, one of our Senior Shift Supervisors.
Sixteen years ago, Veronica Sello joined HPP as a public safety officer. Today, she’s a senior shift supervisor in the CCTV control room, one of the sharp eyes keeping Hermanus safe, day and night.
Originally from Aliwal North, Veronica now proudly calls Hermanus home. Over the years, she’s come to know the town’s streets and public spaces better than most.
“With crime so high in our country, I’ve always wanted to be someone helping to prevent it,” she says.
Veronica has watched the CCTV network grow from just 19 cameras to over 180, transforming how crime is monitored and prevented in the HSRA. On her shifts, she alone keeps watch over 30 cameras on two screens, ready to act in seconds.
Her vigilance has led to many successes. Recently, her quick action helped police arrest a suspect in connection with the theft of R13,000 worth of alcohol from a business in central Hermanus. In another case, she spotted a man jumping over the wall of a Westcliff guesthouse and alerted SAPS. The man was apprehended with two stolen phones, which were swiftly returned to their grateful owners.
“When a suspect is caught, there’s always a celebration in the control room,” she says with a smile. “It keeps the job exciting and reminds us why we do what we do.”
But challenges remain. Repeat offenders, often involved in petty crimes, are frequently released because charges are not laid. “We appeal to the community, please open a case with SAPS when crimes are committed,” Veronica urges.
Twelve-hour shifts staring at screens require stamina, but Veronica takes it in her stride. “The action on the cameras mostly keeps me awake,” she laughs. “I also make sure to take regular breaks to stretch and grab a coffee to stay alert.”
Veronica’s dedication, experience and local knowledge make her a cornerstone of the HPP team and a quiet but powerful force behind keeping Hermanus safe.
That is all for now and as always, HPP urges our readers to remain vigilant and to be safe.
Jerry van Niekerk
HPP Chair