MONTHLY NEWSLETTER AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2010
ISSUE 49
FEEDBACK ON THE AUGUST 2010 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING HELD The HOA held its Annual General Meeting on 31st August in the Kleine Zalze Conference Centre, to report back to members on what had been achieved in the year, across the differing spheres of the Estate, to approve certain resolutions, to approve two special resolutions, and to appoint new directors to the Board. We have attached the minutes of the AGM to this mail shot as part of this mailshot, and are pleased to report back to you that your directors are currently: Rean Smit, Pierre Pienaar, Marius Claassen, Owen Dean , Deon Allen and Eben Potgieter. The constitution allows for the appointment of seven directors, of which there are currently six. As a general comment the turnout to the meeting was low, with the total number of votes carried at the meeting being 106. By deduction the actual number of individual votes totalled 53, with Kleine Zalze holding 36 of the votes and the Golf Lodges 17. We would like to wish our new Board Members our best wishes, and use this opportunity to thank both Nick Wentzel, for his time and energy spent as Chairman of the Board, and for Josias de Kock, thank you for your input and time given on all board matters.
BLAAUWKLIPPEN RIVER MANAGEMENT PROJECT As a follow up to the kickoff meeting held at the Estate with both neighbours and the municipality, the next target was to review contributory elements that effected the quality of water running down the Blaauwklippen. With senior staff from the Stellenbosch Municipality, Councillor Linder’s office, La Clémence, Blaauwklippen, Medallion Mushrooms, and SSI Consultants ¸we had agreed to meet at the Shell service station on the 6th of September, to determine to what extent were areas above De Zalze, contributing to the poor water quality. Opposite the Shell service station one can find the informal settlement known as “Kreef Gat”, consisting of approximately 100 families. During the walk about it became evident that the settlement was using the river as a toilet, litter was being dumped along the river banks, and that there was no fresh water available. A toilet was sighted, which when asked how many there were, it was confirmed, that there was perhaps one toilet per every 10 homes. Again on enquiry from the settlement, we asked to what extent were black bags being given to residents and was there a formal collection point. We judged from the reply that no service existed. Even though the Councillor’s office assured us that the approval had been granted for their relocation to a permanent settlement, those homes would still have to be constructed. With high levels of enthusiasm, now tempered with the reality of the situation, and the warning that any intervention would require strategic input from the authorities, we ended the afternoon, agreeing that this initiative would need to be relooked again, and approached with professional assistance. SSI have been asked to put forward a proposal on what can be done, where possible contributions to cover any costs could come from the Municipality, neighbours and the SMA Trust. WEB: WWW.DEZALZEESTATE.COM OFFICE TEL: (021) 880 2708 OFFICE FAX: (021) 880 2709 Page 1
AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2010
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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOCUS— TRAPSUUTJIE (CHAMELEON) When walking around the estate you will almost certainly come across a Chameleon making it’s cautious way from a thin twig to another or just staring at you with it’s beady inquisitive eye, yes, just the one eye as the other is still watching that fly! Chameleons are fascinating and amazing creatures, always popular with anyone who sees them. Known to grow over 15 centimetres in length, including the tail, with males and females reaching similar adult sizes. The young resemble miniature versions of the adults with muted colours, and typically reach no more than 2cm in length at birth. Adults can vary quite significantly in colour variety, saturation and pattern, some appearing much more vibrant than others. The tail is prehensile, and the feet are well evolved to grasping twigs, with minute claws on the end which improve their grip. Normally very slow moving, chameleons have a characteristic shake which may let them look more like leaves to prey and predators. When provoked, they will inflate themselves, hiss, change colour dramatically and bite. They do not have sharp teeth, so their bite rarely inflicts more than a slight pinch. For most of our grown-up’s it is not strange to say that you had one as a pet at least once in your life, but now-a-days there are strict regulations about keeping native South Africa chameleons. The Cape Dwarf Chameleon is an CITES-protected endangered species and are better admired than handled, although taming is possible provided a very gentle and consistent (almost daily) contact and trust is built up. This is typically achieved through careful and slow hand-based feeding of flies, small spiders, grasshoppers, etc. They cannot survive outside of their natural environment and should remain outdoors where they are able to regulate body temperature using sunlight. It is therefore best to imagine the Estate as being part of your garden and rather keep these little “trapsuutjies” in nature, as intended. For further information visit http://www.sa-chameleons.com
CAROB TREES The Carob Tree is not just any common tree, it is as a matter of fact a coco bearing tree. That’s correct —this tree bares coco pods! And best of all, it grows here in the Estate in Wijndal Village. The Carob tree is a species of flowering evergreen shrub or tree in the pea family. The pods take a full year to develop and ripen and carob consumed by humans is actually the dried (and sometimes roasted) pod, and not the 'nuts' or seeds. Carob, dried or roasted and having a slightly sweet taste, in powder or chip form, is used as an ingredient in cakes and cookies or used as a substitute for chocolate. The seeds, also known as locust beans, are used as animal feed or in dog treats. This is because it is a non-toxic alternative to chocolate, as the theobromine in chocolate is fatally toxic to all animals. Our young mothers may also find it interesting to know that Carob has proven effective in relieving upset tummies in infants. Carobs are also known as St. John's bread because, according to tradition of some Christians, St. John the Baptist subsisted on them in the wilderness. A similar legend exists of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son. Looks like the ginger bread man and the house built of biscuits has competition...
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SNAP UP A PRIZE— DE ZALZE, THE MOMENT CAPTURED Thanks to our growing number of participants, this month has brought about the largest number of entries since the competition started. The winner of this month is Deon Allen’s Dream Scape, truly a magnificent photo of our beautiful estate. The front page photo was taken on another full moon night by Adri van der Westhuizen. Remember… there is a grand prize to be won so keep your entries coming. Email
[email protected] with your name and a title for the photo.
Dream Scape, by Deon Allen
KIDS CORNER Between video games, TV and the Internet, today’s parents may feel like the chips are stacked against them when trying to get their kids off the couch and moving. Kids need to be active to be healthy and to develop both physically and mentally. Fitness experts and parents share their top tips on raising healthy, active kids. UNPLUG! Turn off televisions and computers and, yes, even take their cell phones! It's amazing what kids can find to do when they aren't plugged in. They may need help in learning 'how to play,' so get out in the yard with them. Take an egg timer with you and set it for 30 minutes. Tell them everyone is going to be active for 30 minutes. Shoot hoops, go for nature walks, play volleyball (or water volleyball if it's hot and you have access to a pool). Most kids will want to keep playing after the egg timer goes off. Let your dog walk the kids. OK, not really -- but a child walking a dog is getting exercise. Whether they can walk the dog by themself or you go together, it's a fun way to get moving. To keep it fun for all of them, change it up with different walks. Trade in the car for a bike. Instead of driving to the playground, ride your bike. It's a great way to explore while exercising. Bench press the flour. Using everyday household items as an opportunity to use your muscles. "Did you use your muscles today?” This is a great question to ask your kids and yourself every day. Using your body to push, pull, drag, lift or hold something like a weight, grocery bags, suitcase, rocks, stroller or dog will, over time, create more lean body weight. Strength training in and out of the gym is a very important part of a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle. Have an adventure. Kids need and thrive on adventures! Incorporate adventure into any activity, and kids will demand more. For example, always be on the lookout for activities in the area whereby kids can explore and experience something new. Even driving through the N1 tunnel will have a positive effect—just try it! Further fun examples are on the website in the Kids Corner section (frequently Asked Questions). Use this upcoming school holiday to start unplugging Your inner child! WEB: WWW.DEZALZEESTATE.COM OFFICE TEL: (021) 880 2708 OFFICE FAX: (021) 880 2709 Page 3
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TRAVEL BUG—SAILING THE BALTIC SEA, BY GRAHAM ROSS Graham & Jane Ross kindly shared their recent tour with us. Together with Debbie and Le Roux Vlok they embarked on an 11 night Baltic Cruise on the MSC “Opera” in August. Cities Visited : Amsterdam, Dover, Rostock, Stockholm, Helsinki, St.Petersburg and Copenhagen. We will leave the rest of the travel adventure up to Graham’s own words… We had the choice of embarking in either Amsterdam or Dover. Debbie and Le Roux had been visiting Kees and Addy Meijer (DZ homeowners) in their Netherlands home and as such it was more convenient for them to boarded in Amsterdam. We embarked in Dover the following day. It was a very multi-national experience: Italians, German, Dutch, French, Spanish and English. The diverse cultures were interesting and fun. All announcements were made in the various languages by, Franco, our very capable and multi-lingual cruise director. The “Opera” is a very family friendly cruise liner (children under 18 travel free). This cruise took place in their school holidays and as such there were many children on board. The cruiser was launched by an Italian shipping company in 2004 and accommodates 1750 passengers. The ship had two main dining rooms and the food had an Italian flair. It also had buffet type dining facilities and a pizzeria. On some of the nights they offered a midnight gala buffet on the open deck. The days at sea were filled with various activities – relaxing at the pool, various lounges, library, casino, quiz programmes, dance lessons, bridge classes and many more. The nightly production shows were entertaining, professional and were of a high standard. Dancing was available every night in one of the many dance rooms. We found the on-shore excursions expensive and overcrowded. In this regard we preferred to make our own way into the cities, except for St.Petersburg, using local transport and guidebooks. We found that the best way to get a quick overview of a city is to find a bus operator that provides a sightseeing tour with recorded commentary. Most of these cities offered a Hop on Hop off bus and in Amsterdam we used the Hop on Hop off canal boat. St. Petersburg was one of the highlights. We pre-arranged our visit with an accredited Russian tour operator and by doing so we avoided the inconvenience of obtaining a Russian visa. The cruise ship operators lead you to believe that you cannot leave the ship unless you had the required visa or booked on one of their tours. This is not the case and we believe that we saw a lot more for a lot less. It was a memorable and enjoyable cruise and we were blessed with good weather, good food and good company.
St.Petersburg
the MSC “Opera” WEB: WWW.DEZALZEESTATE.COM OFFICE TEL: (021) 880 2708 OFFICE FAX: (021) 880 2709
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AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2010
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NOTICES: UPDATE ON THE HOA QUARTERLY MEETING HELD This past Monday evening, the HOA hosted their quarterly meeting where guest presenters, Johan Reyneke, of Reyneke Organic Wines, Andrew Mobsby of Lloyds TSB International and Dave Pepler the widely acclaimed zoologist and TV personality spoke with our homeowners. Together their positive energy set the light tone for the night, yet they touched on various matters of concern which lies close to our hearts. Johan Reyneke, Reyneke Organic Wines Johan’s philosophy and wines needs little introduction, and the HOA is pleased that our residents can shortly buy these hard to come by wines directly from the De Zalze website. Should you wish to do a tasting, Reyneke Wines farm lies on the Polkadraai road (M12), 10km outside Stellenbosch Ph: +27 (0)21 881 3451 OR +27 (0) 21 881 3517 Email: Johan Reyneke:
[email protected] or Nadia Sanetra:
[email protected] LloydsTSB LloydsTSB would like to extend their services to you. They specialize in USD, Euro and GBP denoted international bank accounts, deposit accounts, mortgage facilities, fee-free offshore guaranteed deposits and offshore investments. Contact Andrew Mobsby / Niel Lategan or Wendy Snyman, who are all based in Cape Town, with any queries on 021 674 1144 or e-mail
[email protected] Dave Pepler Dave and the HOA have recently started a process of reviewing the Estate’s EMS, considering new initiatives and projects which would be project driven. Dave gave a thought inspiring presentation on the current issues of global warming and Congo guerillas... Lastly, he challenged our homeowners with the idea of creating an identity for the Estate by introducing a nuclear family of Bontebok. He explained that these rare animals were very placid and tame, therefore suitable for introduction to the Estate. Imagine the excitement when your children discover a new born lamb and the stir it would create in our community.
TREES AND PLANTS OF THE ESTATE GOING LIVE The HOA requires the support of a couple of our residents to finalise and assist in taking photographs of estate plants and trees for posting onto our website. Please contact Dianne at
[email protected] for further information.
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PREPAREDNESS DURING AN EMERGENCY ESTATE SECURITY: Security Control Room: Shift Leader: Alarm Control Room: Security Manager: Risk Control Manager:
021 880 2166 083 555 7639 021 880 0015 071 494 8619 082 747 3171
MAINTENANCE: Justin Carstens Haroon Davids HOA Office
082 217 1041 084 951 1392 021 880 2708
SAPS: Ops Room Charge Office Crime Protection Unit Sector 3 Control Vehicle
021 809 5015 021 809 5000 082 469 0999 082 379 5227
GREATER STELLENBOSCH SERVICES: Ambulance 10177 Netcare 911 082 911 ER 24 084 124 Snake Bite 021 761 6161 Stellenbosch Hospital 021 887 0310 Medi Clinic 021 861 2000 24 Hour Emergency Centre 021 886 9999
Click on the icon appearing on the homepage of the De Zalze website for fast access to all emergency phone numbers.
WEBSITE—PROPERTIES FOR SALE/RENT This month the HOA has launched a new section on the website for Approved Estate Agents. This provide a single page within the property section where approved agencies are displayed with their contact details as well a URL link to their website where De Zalze properties can be found. The HOA has established a Committee and has been dealing with five Estate Agents, who work with the Estate in setting out procedures and recommendations made by the IEASA Board and ARC, where best practice guidelines benefit both agent and the members interest. This is met through the creation of standardizing Estate Agent activity, whilst ensuring the rules and regulations are met, and the rights of buyers and sellers are maintained. The De Zalze Estate Agency Committee’s role is to assist in regularising the implementation of best practice guidelines. The committee was deliberately limited to five agencies, in order to streamline the processes required to tackle some of the issues that existed on the Estate. It is important to note that the property owner’s right to choose and appoint an EA of their choice to sell or let their property is not affected. Furthermore, that the right of any Estate Agent to conduct business within the rules and regulations of the estate is also not affected. Lastly, all stakeholders should operate under the same set of rules and regulations in the estate when it comes to marketing or letting property within the estate which would also include the individual home owner.
SNAKES ALIVE EDUCATIONAL MORNING You are invited to the “Snakes Alive” educational morning on Saturday 23 October at 10am by the 14th hole, where Marcel Witberg of the Cape Reptile Institute will be demonstrating how to identify and deal with snakes, particular to this area.
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SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT The Stellenbosch Municipality is planning a flower festival for 27 November 2010 in ward 17, the Jamestown area. The wider community will have the opportunity to take part in Jamestown’s third initiative aimed at fostering a healthy community and environment in their areas. This would be a way to not only show a sense of pride and ownership but to enable them to take better care of the environment. Last year the event took place in front of the oldest building in Jamestown, the Rynse Kerk in Webers Valley Road. There were prizes to be won for those with the most beautiful gardens, competitions for the best stall owners and entertainment. This year Raithby is also included in the competition. Prizes for the most beautiful gardens will be awarded for first, second and third place by an expert panel of judges from Steyns Nursery. There will an be no charge to have a stall which sells strawberries, fruit, vegetables, food, breakfast, etc. We hope that by sharing this feature with you, our home owners would consider further support as the organizers are in need of financial assistance in order to accommodate an event such as this. The winners for the best gardens and stalls will receive prize money. Consolidation prizes will be given for those residents who did not make the cut but will receive plants that they can plant in their gardens. They also require funding for the live entertainment bands and the hiring of a marquee tent. Other expenses include catering costs and more. A special hand-over opportunity for all the clothing and goods donated by the Home Owners has been created as part of the De Zalze Winter Appeal. The aim is to get the community involved when the Municipality receive the donations from us. Our first large red box is full of your donations, but imagine a couple of those red boxes filled with your unwanted items or donations! Councillor M Linders, the Ward Councillor of Ward 17, of Stellenbosch Municipality personally invites De Zalze to partake in the day’s activities.
SO YOU THINK YOU’RE A LOCAL… GUESS WHERE THIS IS
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