Local News
Community notices and stories from around Hermanus and the surrounding villages, plus this week's e-editions from the local papers.
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Monitors sound alarm over water
Residents in Fisherhaven have begun monitoring runoff entering the Bot River estuary and Bot Lagoon Ramsar system, with initial tests…
Man arrested in attempted murder case after Hawston stabbing
Ishmael Mabena|12 Oct 2026 A stabbing incident in Hawston has led to the arrest of a man in connection with the attempted murder of Marlo…
Whale Festival feedback suggests revamp
Feedback from Hermanus’s hospitality sector after the Whale Festival points to strong bookings at several hotels, but also raises…
2026 whale survey records 100 more calves despite slowing calving rates
Ishmael Mabena | 7 Oct 2026 South Africa’s southern right whale population is continuing to grow. However, climate-related changes in the…
‘It’s here’: The record El Niño South Africa can’t ignore
Scientists say this El Niño is already here. What it means for South Africa’s summer is the part nobody can fully promise. By Nicole…
UPDATE: Power restored
06 October 2026 @ 08:45 NOTICE: Gansbaai Administration affected by unplanned Eskom Power Outage 06 October 2026 @ 07:45 The unplanned…
Yellow Level 1 Warning for Damaging Waves
⚠ Yellow Level 1 Warning for Damaging Waves 🌊 Area: Western Cape and Northern Cape coast Validity: Tuesday to Thursday, 6-8 October 2026
Overstrand firefighters claims podium finish at Toughest Firefighter Alive
Overstrand Municipality's firefighters put their strength, fitness and skills to the test at this year's Toughest Firefighter Alive (TFA)…
Power supply interruption.
Tuesday, 06 October 2026 @ 04:00 Eskom is aware of the electricity supply interruption affecting customers in Overstrand, Thewaterskloof…
Overstrand Municipality Improves GIS Platform with Updated Aerial Photography
Overstrand Municipality has completed an important update to the aerial photography available on its Geographic Information System (GIS)…
Woman’s body found in reserve
The Fernkloof Nature Reserve was closed to the public on Tuesday after a body was discovered within the reserve’s boundaries. Overstrand…
THURSDAY 1 OCTOBER 2026 @ 13H30 POWER OUTAGE KINGSWOOD PARK ONRUS
Latest update from the Eskom Sector Manager: The mini sub has failed. A new mini sub will be delivered today around 4pm from Brackenfell.…
Municipality to host e-waste collection drive in Overstrand on 14 October
Electronic waste is the world’s fastest-growing waste stream, and many unused electronics in homes and garages are taking up space. On 14…
HONOURING A FORGOTTEN CHAPTER OF HEMEL-EN-AARDE’S HISTORY
A piece of an important and largely forgotten chapter of Overstrand’s history has been brought to light with the unveiling of a plaque…
Celebrating the Giants of Walker Bay from 2- 4 October 2026
As the peak whale season continues along the Overstrand coastline, Hermanus is preparing to welcome visitors for the annual Hermanus Whale…
WCED investigates after Hermanus High parents allege intimidation during drug search of 15-year-old
The parents of a 15-year-old learner have accused Hermanus High School and police of subjecting their daughter to an intimidating…
FERNKLOOF GARDENS CLOSED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
Fernkloof Gardens in Hermanus is temporarily closed following an incident in which a person died this afternoon, 29 September 2026. The…
‘Nine hours in a soiled nappy’: Daughter’s shocking allegations about Hermanus Hospital
An 82-year-old man has died just days after his daughter sent a desperate plea to Hermanus Times alleging neglect, verbal abuse and…
Hermanus Hospital in hot water after patients sit for hours without help
Poor service at provincial hospitals has long been a concern in South Africa, with reports of patients dying in passages and critically…
Hermanus hospital under fire 'after admin takes long break'
Rasaad Adams Hermanus Provincial Hospital has come under fire after a resident raised concerns that only one administration clerk is on…
Still not showing us the money
A year after R250 000 was allocated to the failed Milkwood Festival, questions about public accountability and the fate of the money…
TRAFFIC ADVISORY FOR 26 SEPTEMBER: PLANNED MARCH FROM ZWELIHLE TO HERMANUS POLICE STATION
Overstrand Municipality is aware of information circulating on social media regarding a planned group march that will take place on…
Taxi shooting claims lives
Two men, including a local taxi owner, were killed and a third injured in a shooting at Zwelihle Taxi Rank on Wednesday morning. Police…
Biltong-vervaardiger wil ProNutro red ná besluit om dit van rakke te haal
KAAPSTAD — ‘n Trots Suid-Afrikaanse biltong- en boereworsvervaardiger het op Erfenisdag amptelik aangebied om die ProNutro-handelsmerk van…
Temporary Closure of Hermanus and Zwelihle Taxi Ranks
The Hermanus and Zwelihle taxi ranks have been temporarily closed for 24 hours for safety reasons and to allow the situation to stabilise.…
Hermanus Traffic Department to close for roof replacement
The building where the Hermanus Traffic Department operates will be closed from 12 October 2026 to 20 October 2026 for the replacement of…
Young rugby ace makes her mark
Fifteen-year-old Lyra-Jane Esau is proving that age is no barrier to making an impact on the rugby field. The Hawston Secondary School…
ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS TO OVERSTRAND’S WATER AND WASTEWATER INFRASTRUCTURE
Overstrand Municipality continues to invest in and maintain essential water and sanitation infrastructure to ensure reliable services for…
Hermanus businessman faces court over rape, grooming and child pornography
Hermanus – The trial of a Hermanus businessman accused of rape, sexual grooming and exposing a minor to pornography is set to begin at the…
Silt cuts dam capacity
Although De Bos Dam is virtually full, silt deposited during the 2024 floods has reduced its storage capacity from 5.8 million to 5.57…
Colour blaze to hit Spring Show
Fernkloof Nature Reserve will burst into colour when the Hermanus Botanical Society’s Spring Show returns from 24 to 27 September. Up to…
When the national GBV crisis comes close to home
Ishmael Mabena | 19 Sep 2026 Ishmael MabenaIshmael Mabena Gender-based violence (GBV) can sometimes feel like a crisis that belongs on…
Deep dive into fynbos magic
Photographer and Hermanus Botanical Society member Mike Murray is inviting newcomers to discover the extraordinary world of fynbos during…
MAKING SENSE OF AI – Taking Business to the Next Level!
Hermanus Business Chamber recently hosted an intensive and highly practical AI Training Workshop with Liezel Nicholson, taking…
Teenagers arrested following alleged assault at Gansbaai Academia
GANSBAAI – Three teenagers have been arrested in connection with an alleged assault that left a Grade 10 learner from Gansbaai Academia…
New 70/30 Prepaid Electricity recovery model approved
At the Special Council Meeting held on 15 September 2026, Overstrand Council approved an amendment to the Customer Care, Credit Control…
SpaceX Starship passes South Africa aboard heavy-lift vessel bound for Texas
A rare piece of SpaceX hardware made its way around the southern tip of Africa on 15 September as a specialised heavy-lift vessel…
We have some news, and it has been a while coming.
We have some news, and it has been a while coming. When we last posted here, the Overberg Choir was just an idea and an invitation. Well,…
Blanket blessing for Hawston elders
Members of Pearly Shells Service Centre in Hawston received 30 warm blankets from the Hawston Sea Farm Foundation, bringing comfort to…
Cable theft continues to disrupt electricity supply in Overstrand
Overstrand Municipality's Task Team members were conducting routine patrols in Hermanus on Sunday, 13 September 2026, when they noticed…
Top playwright tackles thorny issue
Award-winning playwright Mike van Graan’s latest work, Never, Never and Never Again, explores xenophobia through a scripted dialogue…
SA’s secret: The Bryde’s whale
By Dominique Paynee University of Pretoria MRI Whale Unit Unlike migratory humpbacks and southern right whales, the elusive inshore…
DOGBOX PROJECT | WHALE COAST MALL
Whale Coast Mall, in collaboration with The Dogbox Project held their annual Dogbox Project at the mall on 12 September 2026 and once…
Temporary Suspension of Herbicide Spraying Programme
The Overstrand Municipality has temporarily suspended the herbicide spraying programme in municipal areas following concerns raised by…
The time Hemanus became Shark Central
Almost a century ago, Hermanus gained international attention for shark fishing rather than whales or wine. In the 1920s, local angler…
DE MOND CARAVAN PARK: DEVELOPMENT PROCESS CAN PROCEED
The High Court application challenging the tender award and lease agreement for the former De Mond Caravan Park in Voëlklip as a public…
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
• Dutch Reformed Church, Onrus River • 10:00 on Saturday 3 October 2026 • Registration from 09:15 All affected property owners are invited…
Overstrand libraries dominate provincial Cultural Affairs Awards
Ishmael Mabena | 10 Sep 2026 The Overstrand is officially home to the province’s best libraries as Hermanus and Hawston public libraries…
The rail station that never saw a train
For decades, Hermanus residents have repeated the story that Sir William Hoy deliberately stopped the railway at Bot River to preserve the…
UPDATE: power restored
Cable theft disrupts electricity supply in Voëlklip Cable theft is once again disrupting services, with electrical overhead lines stolen…
🏆🥳 WE DID IT AGAIN! 🥳🏆
Hermanus Library has done it again, taking home Public Library of the Year as well as Best Friends of the Public Library at the Western…
4 November public holiday
PROCLAMATION NOTICE 346 OF 2026 By the President of the Republic of Southl Africa DECLARATION OF THE FOURTH DAY OF NOVEMBER 2026 AS A…
Onrus Caravan Park kiosk available for lease
A three-year lease opportunity is available for the refreshment kiosk at Onrus Caravan Park. Those interested can obtain the tender…
149 DStv channels for R399.50 per month
South Africans can get access to 149 live DStv channels for just R399.50 per month by splitting the cost of a DStv Premium streaming…
Whales face growing ship-strike threat
Whales around southern Africa are facing a growing risk from ship strikes as vessel traffic increases. In four months, two Bryde’s whales,…
Operation chameleon rescue
A vital rescue operation is being planned along the R43 between Hermanus and Onrus. Before widening begins, volunteers from Whale Coast…
Mapping the way forward for FynArts
FynArts is mapping its future after a strategic workshop highlighted the need for stronger financial stability, broader audiences and…
A Look Back at an Insightful Evening with Alec Hogg
What a fantastic evening of conversation, insight and connection! On 27 August, the Hermanus Business Chamber welcomed Alec Hogg, founder…
Around the world in 25 kitchens
For American chef Jason McKinney, the road to opening his own restaurant has taken him far from his hometown of New York. Rather than…
Zwelihle women demand relief
About 70 women from Zwelihle marched to Overstrand Municipality’s offices in Hermanus, calling for relief from rising municipal tariffs…
Bus crash into wall leads to arrest of ‘drunken’ driver (57)
Ishmael Mabena | 4 Sep 2026 Bus crashes into wall in Mount PleasantBus crash into wall in Mount Pleasant leads to arrest of ‘drunken’…
TOURISM TEAMS JOIN FORCES
Overstrand Municipality's Cape Whale Coast Tourism Office attended the Wesgro Regional Tourism Organisation Winter Forum in Arniston on 26…
‘Completed’ Zwelihle playpark raises questions just months after opening
Ishmael Mabena | 2 Sep 2026 A municipal project to refurbish a children’s playpark in Zwelihle has been marked as “completed”. But the…
SUCCESSFUL ARREST - GREAT TEAMWORK!
Thanks to information received from the public and a speedy response by our OVSRA Control Room, two suspects who broke into a garage in…
Hermanus Traffic: August Saturday Hours
Overstrand Traffic Services in Hermanus will be open on Saturday, 05 en 19 September 2026 from 08:30 to 12:00. Saturdays services include:…
Origin of the name “Fick’s Pool” reinvestigated
For decades, older Hermanus residents have spoken fondly of Fick's Pool, the tidal pool tucked into a cove off Marine Drive near the Old…
Overstrand Municipality escalates Eskom supply reliability concerns to NERSA
Overstrand Municipality formally lodged a complaint with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) on 21 August 2026 regarding…
Yellow Level 4 warning
The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has issued a Yellow Level 4 warning for disruptive rain, wind and waves for parts of the Western…
Pringle Bay local becomes youngest South African woman to swim the English Channel
It is seen as the Mount Everest of open-water swimming and our 18-year-old local girl from Pringle Bay did it. On Sunday 23 August…
Preserving the heritage of historic post office site
Voëlklip’s former village post office on 10th Street is being remembered through a new heritage display at the Greeff Whale Coast branch.…
⚠️ WEATHER ALERT: COLD, WET & WINDY CONDITIONS ❄️🌧️
🗓️ Validity period: 3 - 4 September 2026 📍 Affected areas: Western & Northern Cape. A cut-off low is expected to affect the Western Cape…
New service provider appointed for E-mail distribution of municipal accounts
Overstrand Municipality has appointed a new service provider for the distribution of municipal accounts via e-mail. The August 2026…
Community March: Hermanus - 27 August 2026
The Women of Zwelihle and Concerned Residents have notified the Municipality of a community march on Thursday, 27 August 2026, commencing…
Herbicide spraying on hard surfaces in Onrus
The Overstrand Municipality will be undertaking herbicide spraying on hard surfaces in the Onrus area as part of its annual weed control…
Curro Hermanus matric dance fundraiser
Rising to Radiance was the theme of the Curro Hermanus matric dance fundraiser on Saturday, during which women were celebrated. Tables…