Popular surf instructor arrested on multiple counts of rape and sexual assault, “The (alleged) victims were all females from foreign countries who attended his surf school…and alleged that the accused made them drunk and raped them.”

“The alleged accused was involved in several rape and sexual assault cases that happened between 2014 and 2022 at his surf shop school."

Ryan Halkett, owner of the Hermanus Surf Camp in South Africa, was plucked from his lodge by police and brought before the Hermanus Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

Multiple counts of rape and sexual assault. 

Per police spokesperson Frederick van Wyk,

“The alleged accused was involved in several rape and sexual assault cases that happened between 2014 and 2022 at his surf shop school in Hermanus. According to reports the victims were all females from foreign countries who attended his surf school on different times and alleged that the accused made them drunk and raped them at his place.”

Because the women who came forward did not live in South Africa ― one from Florida, one from Lisbon ― they were not able to press charges from abroad.

Another woman living in South Africa reported an assault by the forty-one-year-old Halkett. This opened the doors for the women living abroad to join the case against the surf school owner. 

Johannesburg-based non-profit organisation Koleinu SA is representing the women. Co-founder Wendy Hendler told the Maverick Citizen: “We were obviously devastated that there was another victim – this is exactly what we are trying to prevent. So it was just heartbreaking. This is a breakthrough though, as we needed someone in South Africa to open the case here.”

Van Wyk believes there will be additional charges added as more women come forward. The young lady from Florida has begun contacting other females who have stayed at the Hermanus Surf Camp. Out of seventy-nine, at least twenty women have claimed inappropriate actions by Halkett. 

Hermanus, known as the Riviera of the South, is located an hour from Cape Town. Community members are outraged over the accusations and have organized rallies in support of the women. 

Halkett, who is forty-one, is out on R1,000 bail, or sixty US dollars, and maintains his innocence.

Communicating through a WhatsApp voice note, he said the accusations are “completely false and damaging. And also extremely painful that people would say that kind of thing. So ja, that’s my response. It’s not very lekker[good] at all.”

Sixty-one reviews on booking.com, which still carries the school’s listing, are uniformly positive. 

“Staying at the surf lodge was my favourite experience on my travels in south africa. Hermanus is an amazing town and I felt very safe there as a female solo traveller.I will be back for sure.”

“Great breakfast, very helpful host – Ryan organized the whale boat for me and other activities. Hermanus is such a beautiful town and as a solo travelling female I felt very safe there.”