About Us
The Hermanus branch of the South African National Tuberculosis Association, is a registered NPO (SANTA-NPO No 000-946).
Most people in the Overstrand remain oblivious to the fact that they are surrounded — and thus at threat of being infected — by tuberculosis (TB), the world’s deadliest infectious killer. TB is highly contagious, and if undetected can spin out of control, affecting all sectors of the community. It is estimated that 80% of inhabitants in the Western Cape carry the TB bacteria.
The South African Department of Health does not fund any clinic staff. SANTA Hermanus helps fill this gap by employing eight health care workers at the Hermanus Community Day Care Centre in Zwelihle.
The Hermanus branch of SANTA has been working for well over twenty years to reduce TB in the Overstrand. The initiatives include providing much-needed extra staff to assist the local clinics to improve the identification, treatment and education of patients. Patients defaulting on medication are visited at home, and sufferers no longer infectious can obtain medication.
SANTA Hermanus constantly strives to improve ways to make it easier for patients to understand the disease, like funding tablet computers and the production of video material in English, Afrikaans and isiXhosa.
Clinic entrance in Swartdam Road, Zwelihle
People queuing across the clinic courtyard for appointments, treatment, medicine.
Education about the disease
Early Days
SANTA Hermanus started from very small beginnings, in the early 1990s, with Pat van Schoor, the then chairman of SANTA Hermanus, and a friend, selling second-hand books from boxes on the pavement outside the old Standard Bank building in central Hermanus.
The SANTA bookshop was later opened on the grounds of the United Church, on land owned by the Overstrand Municipality, and was open only from 10-12 each morning. When, however, the United Church bought this land from the Overstrand Municipality both the Red Cross and SANTA had to find a new home.
The Overstrand Municipality eventually gave SANTA the land on which the SANTA bookshop now stands (2A Aberdeen Street), enabling SANTA to move in in August 2016. The Hermanus community gave wonderful help with shop fittings etc.
To raise funds for the building costs, SANTA undertook its biggest fundraising event when the organisation brought ballet to Hermanus in 2017 (and again in 2018).
The bookshop is now open from 9:00 -16:00 each day (excluding Sundays) with three daily shifts covered by a wonderful team of volunteers, and with help from Bob Hill who oversees the collection, sorting and marking of all donations and who keeps the shop running smoothly.
Our Committee of Volunteers
We are very grateful to each and every volunteer at SANTA Hermanus.
Pauline McCarthy
Secretary
pollymac@telkomsa.net
Colleen Naudé
Communication
colleen.naude@gmail.com
Mick Finn
Regional and National Coordinator
fynnmick@gmail.com