The formation of The Green Hearts organisation took place over coffee at what was then still Cranzgots Café, on the corner of Main Street and Marine Way, one rainy afternoon in early February 2015. The discussion was prompted by the arrest of a 37-year-old computer engineer in Plettenberg Bay. He had been discovered on the “dark net” disseminating child pornography, identified by Belgian police who flew to South Africa to arrest him with the assistance of the FCS Unit in Gauteng — in what became known as the Cloud 9 case.

It was during this time that we learned the case would be classified as a Schedule 1 offence under the Films and Publications Act. At the time, child pornography was often regarded as a “victimless crime” because the children depicted could not be identified — a view that reflected how unprepared the justice system was to handle the gravity and scope of such offences. This serious concern was later raised in our presentation to Parliament in 2017.

We attended every court appearance until the accused’s sentencing in 2017 in the George Regional Court, where he received a 15-year imprisonment, later reduced to 10 years on appeal. Many related matters were heard in the Knysna, George, or Thembalethu courts, as Plettenberg Bay only had a district magistrate at the time. We remained involved in numerous cases across the region — including that of dentist Ian Venter, a serial sexual predator who abused his son’s friends while serving a sentence of house arrest — until travel and associated costs made it unsustainable.

At that time, there was little to no support or information available to victims or their families. The Green Hearts stepped into that gap, going the extra mile to provide help, resources, and hope to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Our volunteers have always given freely of their time and personal resources; only one volunteer ever received a modest allowance for airtime and data.

Our team undertook several specialised training courses, including sessions on the Sexual Offences Act presented by Senior Advocate Gerda Marx of the NPA, as well as Protective Behaviours Practitioner training — for which each volunteer paid their own fees.

We also received invaluable guidance from attorney Kirsten Deacon, who generously shared her expertise on crime schedules and bail conditions, and from Roy Monk, who accompanied team members to meetings with senior FCS officers and the head of the NPA in George.

Perhaps our greatest honour came when the Chief Justice of South Africa personally reached out to offer us an opportunity to present our challenges and experiences to Parliament. This engagement contributed to the landmark decision in June 2018 to remove the statute of limitations on sexual offences — a significant step forward for justice and survivors’ rights.

Through ongoing court support, social media outreach, and the presentation of the Protective Behaviours programme in local schools, The Green Hearts has become recognised as a steadfast advocate for the protection and wellbeing of children in the Bitou community.

For ten years, our volunteers have stood together as champions of endurance, compassion and courage — dedicated to ensuring that every child in Bitou is seen, heard, and protected.
- Janet Harding, past chairperson of The Green Hearts (October 2015) -