Suburban residents, rattled by house invasions and burglaries, have taken issue with their homes being photographed without their knowledge.
They were referring to Pam Golding Property’s annual campaign in which photographs of the exterior of residential properties are taken, affixed to calendars and delivered to property owners.
Pam Golding Properties East London principal Hanlie Bassingthwaighte said most homeowners were thrilled to receive the personalised calendars, but a recent Facebook exchange raised concerns that the unsolicited practice could compromise security.
Blue Bend resident Marius Labuschagne sparked the Facebook conversation by posting a CCTV photograph on the Beacon Bay Crime Board page which he captioned “suspicious behaviour”.
The photograph shows a silver SUV outside his home on March21.
“Luckily we have CCTV cameras,” said Labuschagne.
“There were two men in the car and one was taking a photograph of my house with a cellphone.
“There have been a lot of break-ins in Beacon Bay, so I posted it on Beacon Bay Crime Board to make people aware.”
But Bassingthwaighte said this vehicle was not associated with her campaign.
“We finished photographing and distributing our calendars long ago, so that was not us.”
Bassingthwaighte said the public relations campaign, which photographs 15000 homes every year in the city’s central suburbs including Bunkers Hill, Cambridge, Vincent, Beacon Bay and Nahoon, began in September and ended in January when the last magnetised calendars were delivered.
“We use a Pam Golding branded bakkie and the photographer has a professional camera as well as copies of calendars to show just in case. Some of our agents do it themselves.”
Bassingthwaighte said the calendar campaign was run by Pam Golding branches “all over South Africa” and allayed fears that photographs could fall into the wrong hands, saying they were only ever distributed to property owners.
Cambridge West resident Jess Roelofse said she was vehemently opposed to having her home photographed.
She said her 80-year-old mother who lives with her had been shaken when she saw a woman photographing the house a couple of years ago.
“Then when I received the calendar in the post-box I phoned the agent and she said it was an advertising campaign. She told me the printing is outsourced and I didn’t like that idea. People can see what security homes have.”
Roelofse said she was gob-smacked when she received another calendar this year. “Lo and behold another calendar arrived with exactly the same photo.”
Beacon Bay resident Kim Rauff said she was unnerved to receive the calendar bearing a picture of her home and family surname in December.
“My concern was where did they get my surname from – we’re not even in the phonebook.
“The idea is stunning and I still have mine on my fridge, but it is a bit of an invasion of privacy.”
Bassingthwaighte said homeowners’ names were obtained from the deeds office.
“They are only for the benefit of the homeowner.
“Once they realise that… it is a gift, most people love it.”
Attorney Brin Brody, who is the managing director of Wheeldon, Rushmere & Cole, said taking photographs of homes and distributing them to homeowners was not an infringement of privacy.
“If they were disseminated to others that would be different.
“You can walk down Google maps and look at someone’s house.
“Google would not do it if it was an infringement of privacy.”
Calendar gift alarms residents
They were referring to Pam Golding Property’s annual campaign in which photographs of the exterior of residential properties are taken, affixed to calendars and delivered to property owners.
Pam Golding Properties East London principal Hanlie Bassingthwaighte said most homeowners were thrilled to receive the personalised calendars, but a recent Facebook exchange raised concerns that the unsolicited practice could compromise security.
Blue Bend resident Marius Labuschagne sparked the Facebook conversation by posting a CCTV photograph on the Beacon Bay Crime Board page which he captioned “suspicious behaviour”.
The photograph shows a silver SUV outside his home on March21.
“Luckily we have CCTV cameras,” said Labuschagne.
“There were two men in the car and one was taking a photograph of my house with a cellphone.
“There have been a lot of break-ins in Beacon Bay, so I posted it on Beacon Bay Crime Board to make people aware.”
But Bassingthwaighte said this vehicle was not associated with her campaign.
“We finished photographing and distributing our calendars long ago, so that was not us.”
Bassingthwaighte said the public relations campaign, which photographs 15000 homes every year in the city’s central suburbs including Bunkers Hill, Cambridge, Vincent, Beacon Bay and Nahoon, began in September and ended in January when the last magnetised calendars were delivered.
“We use a Pam Golding branded bakkie and the photographer has a professional camera as well as copies of calendars to show just in case. Some of our agents do it themselves.”
Bassingthwaighte said the calendar campaign was run by Pam Golding branches “all over South Africa” and allayed fears that photographs could fall into the wrong hands, saying they were only ever distributed to property owners.
Cambridge West resident Jess Roelofse said she was vehemently opposed to having her home photographed.
She said her 80-year-old mother who lives with her had been shaken when she saw a woman photographing the house a couple of years ago.
“Then when I received the calendar in the post-box I phoned the agent and she said it was an advertising campaign. She told me the printing is outsourced and I didn’t like that idea. People can see what security homes have.”
Roelofse said she was gob-smacked when she received another calendar this year. “Lo and behold another calendar arrived with exactly the same photo.”
Beacon Bay resident Kim Rauff said she was unnerved to receive the calendar bearing a picture of her home and family surname in December.
“My concern was where did they get my surname from – we’re not even in the phonebook.
“The idea is stunning and I still have mine on my fridge, but it is a bit of an invasion of privacy.”
Bassingthwaighte said homeowners’ names were obtained from the deeds office.
“They are only for the benefit of the homeowner.
“Once they realise that… it is a gift, most people love it.”
Attorney Brin Brody, who is the managing director of Wheeldon, Rushmere & Cole, said taking photographs of homes and distributing them to homeowners was not an infringement of privacy.
“If they were disseminated to others that would be different.
“You can walk down Google maps and look at someone’s house.
“Google would not do it if it was an infringement of privacy.”
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