HERMANUS PUBLIC PROTECTION
NEWSLETTER
Keeping our community safe and clean, together
SEPTEMBER 2026
In this edition:
- Informal Waste Pickers | Working Together to Keep Hermanus Clean
- Whale Watching | Please Take Care On the Rocks
- Good News Stories | HPP Working Together with the Community
- Meet the HPP Board | Meet Cleansing Portfolio: Ann Wright
- Annual General Meeting | 8 October 2026
Working Together to Keep Hermanus Clean
Informal waste picking is a familiar sight in Hermanus, particularly on refuse collection days.
Once refuse has been placed out for collection on the street, it is in the public domain and waste pickers may collect recyclable materials from it. However, this does not extend to entering private property or removing items from bins that remain within a resident’s property, yard or driveway.
Waste pickers make a valuable contribution to recycling by recovering materials that might otherwise go to landfill. Their work also supports the wider waste management system.
On waste collection days, HPP has dedicated bicycle patrols, supported by our patrol vehicles, to help monitor the area and support responsible waste collection practices.
HPP encourages waste pickers to leave bins and the surrounding area tidy after collecting recyclables. Residents can report significant mess or spillage to HPP or Overstrand Municipality so that the appropriate team can address it.
Residents can also help by ensuring that refuse is securely contained and placed out for collection at the appropriate time.
A clean public environment is a shared responsibility, and small actions by all of us make a difference.
Whale Watching | Please Take Care On the Rocks
Spring has arrived in Hermanus, bringing visitors and residents out to enjoy one of the town’s greatest attractions – our whales.
While watching whales from the coastline can be a wonderful experience, please take particular care when standing or walking close to the rocks.
Wave action can be unpredictable, and even relatively calm conditions can change quickly. A large wave can sweep over the rocks without warning, creating a serious risk of being knocked off balance or swept into the water.
Please:
- Keep a safe distance from the edge of the rocks.
- Be especially cautious when the sea is rough or waves are breaking strongly.
- Keep children close and supervised.
- Avoid turning your back on the ocean while watching the whales.
- Follow safety signs and instructions from officials and patrol officers.
Please enjoy the whales – but do so safely.
Working Together to Keep Hermanus Safe
1 SEPTEMBER to 30 SEPTEMBER 2026
Reports Received
395
Arrests
9
Waste Collected (KGs)
1225
Multiple Suspects Arrested in September
September saw a number of successful interventions by HPP’s patrol and CCTV teams, working closely with SAPS and other security role-players.
On 4 September, a HPP foot patroller requested assistance from the HPP Control Centre after a suspect was reported to have shoplifted from a store in the CBD. HPP CCTV operators quickly located the suspect, who was running along the rocks, and directed the foot patrol team to his location. Following a short foot chase, the suspect was detained and handed over to SAPS, who arrested him for shoplifting.
On 10 September, an HPP CCTV operator observed two males carrying a large bag in the early hours of the morning. Their suspicious behaviour was monitored and reported to Hermanus SAPS. SAPS members attended and, following a search, found crayfish in their possession. The two suspects were arrested for the illegal possession of sea products.
On 12 September, an HPP foot patroller in the CBD heard someone screaming and saw a male fleeing from a local retail store. The officer gave chase and detained the suspect. Eleven boxes of Grandpa powder, valued at approximately R1,130, were found in his possession. SAPS was contacted and the suspect was arrested for shoplifting.
Later that afternoon, an HPP CCTV operator identified a vehicle known to HPP from previous incidents involving suspected shoplifting. The vehicle was monitored as it travelled towards the Whale Coast Mall, and the mall security team was alerted. Two suspects were detained at the mall with stolen items.
The vehicle was subsequently tracked by the HPP CCTV operator to a nearby petrol station. An HPP SRU vehicle was dispatched to investigate. A search of the vehicle revealed a quantity of clothing items for which the occupants could not provide proof of purchase. It was subsequently established that the items belonged to a number of retail stores in the Hermanus CBD. SAPS was contacted and the driver and passenger were arrested.
Later that same day, an HPP CCTV operator observed three males running through an industrial area and immediately alerted HPP vehicle response teams. The suspects entered the nearby Mount Pleasant Sports Ground and a coordinated response followed.
One suspect was detained after being found in possession of an unlicensed firearm. SAPS was contacted and the suspect was arrested. He was subsequently linked to a hijacking and armed robbery in Zwelihle.
These incidents demonstrate the value of combining HPP’s CCTV network, foot patrols and rapid response teams. Early identification, effective communication between HPP teams and close cooperation with SAPS enabled several suspects to be located and detained.
We commend our HPP officers and CCTV operators for their vigilance and commitment, and thank SAPS and the other security role-players who assisted in these incidents.
Who to call for Emergencies and Incident Response
Meet the Team | Meet HPP Board Member for the Cleansing Portfolio: Ann Wright
The subject of this month’s board member interview needs no introduction to many Hermanus residents. Ann Wright has spent many years working for and on behalf of numerous community groups – and describes herself as a natural involver.
“It’s a trait which runs through my family,” she explains. “My parents instilled the attitude in myself and my three siblings. We are people who have contributed our time to society and given back to the community.”
Born and raised in Cape Town with a father in the military, Ann quickly became used to an itinerant lifestyle which possibly accounts for her love of travelling. After graduating with a teaching qualification from Grahamstown, she taught in Namibia before earning enough to join a sailing ship across the ocean to South America. “I was young and it was tough but it allowed me to visit St Helena and land on the Brazilian coast from where I explored many of the surrounding countries.
On return Ann worked in Cape Town – including the Department of Conservation. “I met my husband David who has a passion for running. He was visiting to compete in the Two Oceans race when we met,” she recalls. “We married and moved to Johannesburg where we lived for 34 years before retiring to Hermanus. During this time, I worked for 27 years at St Andrew’s School for Girls, first as teacher and then heading up the marketing department for the last 11 years before retiring.”
She was invited to join the HPP board in November 2020. Her current primary responsibility is to ensure that public spaces, such as the cliff path, are kept neat and attractive. She also has a particular interest in personal safety for women involving courses, demonstrations and regular information.
Ann was already involved with societal issues including support for children affected by drug abuse whose treatment was funded by the Department for Social Development.
But her social conscience extends generally for support to the less fortunate. This interlinks with one of her major achievements. As a committed member of Rotary, she has devised and supported many projects. This culminated in the years 2023/4 with her selection to the position to represent Rotary International as Governor of district 9350 which covers a large area of western South Africa, Namibia and Angola.
“The whole process covered four busy years of intensive travel within Africa and overseas visiting Rotary Clubs and supporting their efforts’” she explained. “It’s a four-year process of training, takeover, acting and supporting your successor.”
Her husband David stoically “held the fort” at their home in Hermanus Heights and the couple have two grown children with successful careers.
HPP Annual General Meeting – 8 October 2026
A reminder that HPP’s Annual General Meeting will take place on Thursday, 8 October 2026 at 16:00 at the Windsor Hotel, 49 Marine Drive, Hermanus.
The AGM provides an opportunity for HPP members to receive an update on the past year and to consider the 2027/2028 Budget and Implementation Plan.
The AGM documentation is available on the HPP website.
That is all for this edition. With your support, we will continue to protect what makes Hermanus such a special place to live and visit.
Leon Rauch
HPP Chair