Dear Hermanus Special Rating Area (HSRA) Property Owner,

During May we:

• Received several (most welcome) offers from ratepayers to assist the HPP in its work;
• Engaged with the Overstrand Municipality (OM) at several levels;
• Met with our neighbouring SRA colleagues to collaborate on specific initiatives;
• Attended a business breakfast hosted by the local business groupings;
• Advanced our plans to bolster HPP’s work in the CBD;
• Worked with a group of ratepayers in the Kwaaiwater precinct to improve safety with planned CCTV coverage.

The natural beauty of Hermanus and the spirit of its people continues to amaze me!

In previous newsletters I have asked for greater participation in the affairs of HPP and invited you to step forward and let me know if you could assist. I once again did so last month, and three generous offers were received. Please keep on doing so! The question people asked was “How may I help?”. The spirit of cooperation and generosity just astounds me. Thank you!

I find this spirit at so many levels in our environment, e.g., amongst the HPP patrollers, the Overstrand Municipal (OM) role players, the neighbourhood watch (NHW) groups, the various security companies, our colleagues in neighbouring SRA’s (established Kleinmond, Onrus/Vermont and the “in the process of being established” SRA for Sandbaai), ratepayer groups in the suburbs and CBD, as well as our service suppliers.

After retiring from Old Mutual, the company asked me to create a Trust to assist certain municipalities across South Africa in the development of their leadership at Council and Executive levels. Fifteen retired colleagues and I performed this task for seven years and encountered many malfunctioning and ineffective municipalities. Unfortunately, that situation still applies today.

In the Overstrand, we are privileged to have a municipality which has recently been recognised as the “Best Municipality” in the Western Cape, by the Western Cape Government. Congratulations to all concerned! HPP indeed appreciates the spirit of cooperation which exists between the OM and ourselves. I particularly appreciate that the tone of the meetings between the Mayor, her Mayoral Committee and ourselves is one of “How may we help?”.

However, please be assured that a good amount of open challenge and push-back exists in our encounters. We all need to sharpen our proverbial pencils in delivering ever- improving services to you!

A unique group which exudes the spirit of “How may we help and do so together?” is the Overstrand SRA Group. As explained above, this group is made up of representatives of the Special Rating Areas in Hermanus, Kleinmond, Onrus/Vermont and Sandbaai, which is still in formation. We meet once a quarter and collaborate on issues of common concern. One of the key items on our agenda is the OM’s CCTV Policy, which we strongly believe warrants a reassessment and fine-tuning, considering the valuable lessons we have collectively learned over the past six months. We appreciate the fact that the OM welcomes our engagement and has invited us to work with them on the issue.

I would like to commend another remarkable group in Hermanus that selflessly dedicates itself to clearing and maintaining the Cliff Path—the Cliff Path Management Group (CPMG). Given the shared goals of our organizations, the CPMG collaborates closely with the OM and HPP on matters related to the Cliff Path.

Currently, Ross Dewar and his team are actively raising funds to tackle essential tasks such as removing invasive vegetation, replacing signage, improving concrete paths, and upgrading benches and bins. If you are interested in making a financial contribution to support this important work, the bank details are as follows:

Hermanus Cliff Path Management Group Banking Details

• Bank – Investec
• Type of account – Current
• Bank account number – 50002115857
• Branch number – 580105

Ross can be contacted on ross@mancopropgroup.co.za

This newsletter highlights several instances in which HPP has exemplified the principles of collaboration and assistance over the past month. Additionally, the following story illustrates how organizations effectively cooperate at an operational level. I am not mentioning the location of the incident for a good reason.

Co-ordinated Efforts Result in Arrest

On Monday, 22nd May, at approximately 8 pm, HPP received a call from a member of the public reporting an attempted break-in. HPP controllers swiftly initiated the necessary protocols, activating all law enforcement stakeholders involved in the area.

To locate the suspect, an extensive ground search was conducted. However, despite the thorough search, no suspect was found. Recognizing the need for additional support, the drone was deployed to aid the search.

The drone quickly located the suspect and effectively flushed him out. The suspect was apprehended by a vigilant member of the Alfa Neighbourhood Watch, who was strategically positioned nearby. The Alfa Neighbourhood Watch member promptly detained the suspect until the South African Police Service (SAPS) arrived at the scene.

Following the suspect’s apprehension, he was subsequently arrested and charged with the offense of possession of stolen items.

This successful collaborative effort between HPP, Fidelity-ADT, Core Tactical Services, Hermanus Neighbourhood Watch, Alfa Neighbourhood Watch, the drone technology, Overstrand Law Enforcement and SAPS demonstrates the importance of efficient communication and the integration of various resources to combat crime effectively and ensure the safety of the community.

That is all for now and as always, I urge you to be vigilant and aware.

Jerry van Niekerk

HPP Chair

E-Mail: chairperson@hpp.org.za

Website: https://hpp.org.za