There is growing concern in Hermanus regarding children’s safety after reports of men taking photos of children or approaching parents and allegedly offering money for the minors.
One grandmother related how her daughter was approached in December by a man while waiting in a queue in a shop.
“He looked at my grandson and asked her ‘how much?’ My daughter told him to back off. I was in shock; one hears of these things but never expect it to happen to you.”
She described the man as well-dressed, dark-skinned and of medium height. He also wore an earring with a small cross.
Disturbed by the experience, the family left the store without reporting the incident. The older woman said she decided to share her experience after hearing of three similar incidents.
On Sunday, a woman was shopping in town when her son and his friend ran into the shop to inform her a man had been taking photos of them. She immediately reported it to the manager and informed the father of her son’s friend, who was in the shop at the time.
He said he noticed the suspect fiddling with his phone and confronted the man who couldn’t explain why he had been taking photos of the children. “I pushed him against the wall and took his phone.”
The dad said he discovered more pictures of children on the man’s phone, leaving his blood running cold. “I didn’t see any of my child and his friend, which he probably deleted when I first looked his way. This made me fear he is a spotter for a syndicate.”
He immediately reported the incident to the police. The mom said a similar incident occurred at a restaurant.
Unnerved by the experience she made her son have a haircut and wear sunglasses and a hat whenever they went out. “I am so nervous I don’t want to go for walks or to the park alone with him.”
Capt Fadila September, spokesperson for Hermanus police, confirmed the incident was reported and the suspect taken in for questioning. “Unfortunately there was insufficient evidence to arrest him.” September urges parents to report such incidents immediately.
