Dear Welgevonden Estate Homeowners and Residents
American creative writer, Taylor DuVall, has said the following on starting a new year: “This year, be structured enough for success and achievement, and flexible enough for creativity and fun.”
At the beginning of 2024 my wish for the Welgevonden Estate community is that, apart from a focus on being successful, we will also leave ample room for creativity and fun. In this regard, may Welgevonden Estate – our collective home – be a creative space and a hub of laughter and enjoyment for everyone who lives here, and for the community as a whole.
The past holiday season
Thank you to all who have contributed to a relaxed and enjoyable festive season on Welgevonden Estate. This includes our security personnel who continued to ensure a secure environment, with no security-related incidents having been reported over the period, and residents who took the time to add a special touch by decorating their homes and gardens to reflect the spirit of the festive season.
A special thank you to estate residents Salomie Botha, Warren Joubert, Sterna Müller, and their enthusiastic support network of organisers, fund raisers, music artists, and more who presented an exceptional Carols by Candlelight event on 9 December last year. The air was filled with the energetic sound of Welgevonden Estate’s own band, vocal and other performances by individual residents, singing of carols along with instrumental accompaniment, and an expectation of Santa’s arrival to hand out gifts to the children. The event created a special moment in time during which residents were able to pause for a while to enjoy the goodwill of the festive season in the company of fellow estate homeowners and residents. (Photography: Nikki Meyer Photography and Aleksandra Carstens Photography)
A word of welcome!
Welcome all new residents to Welgevonden Estate. We trust that you will soon settle in, and that you will be happy in our special community.
For those new to Welgevonden Estate, please take note that the estate is administrated according to the requirements of a homeowners association. In this regard it is managed in accordance with the provisos contained in a number of statutory and other documents specific to the Welgevonden Home Owners’ Association (WHOA). If you haven’t done so yet, please have a look at these documents on the Welgevonden Estate website to ensure that you are up to date with what the WHOA requires from those who own properties and/or live here. Also feel free to contact the Welgevonden Estate office (admin@welgevonden.co.za) if you have any questions in this regard.
Please also take note of the reality that Welgevonden Estate only provides for limited public parking space. For this reason, it was necessary to formulate and implement parking control measures that apply to the whole estate. In essence, residents may only park on their own erven, and not on public parking areas, pavements, or any other area on the estate, unless they have a special permit to do so. Please click here for more information.
Update on the current road works
Information received on the temporary closure of the R44 / Hendrikse Street intersection for required road upgrades, is that the intersection will be reopened by the end of January 2024.
Padel courts
As a result of an incorrect announcement at the WHOA AGM 2023 regarding the required majority vote for the passing of a special resolution, voting on a special resolution to include two padel courts in the Welgevonden Park development did not take place. The fact that the special resolution for increased expenditure on the Welgevonden Park development was in fact passed, signifies that the special resolution for adding the two padel courts still needs to be addressed and voted on. (More information about the announcement was contained in a newsletter to WHOA members dated 6 December 2023.)
Excom will discuss the way forward in this regard during their first meeting in 2024. An option would be to call for a special general meeting to vote on the padel courts to be included in the Welgevonden Park development.
Property maintenance
One of Excom’s objectives and responsibilities is to ensure the maintenance and upkeep of the external appearance of houses and gardens in Welgevonden Estate. Neatly maintained properties contribute to an overall pleasing appearance, and play an important role in the collective growth of Welgevonden Estate property values.
Since 2022, Excom has placed a specific focus on the external appearance of houses to identify those in need of maintenance, and to inform homeowners on corrective actions required. Most homeowners responded favourably to this drive and did what was necessary to comply with the instructions. However, during recent follow-up inspections it came to light that some homeowners have not yet complied by the set target date. These homeowners will now receive a penalty, with further instructions to attend to the deviations at their properties.
Thank you to all who attended to their properties to ensure compliance with the prescribed WHOA directives and guidelines. Your efforts made a noticeable difference to the improvement and overall appearance of properties on Welgevonden Estate!
European paper wasps
European paper wasps are highly active in the Western Cape, especially during the height of summer. These insects are an invasive, predatory, and parasitic species which causes an imbalance in our eco-system as they feed on other insects such as grasshoppers, butterflies and – especially – bees. In this regard they have become a threat to the local honeybee population and to crops in general.
These wasps are also active on Welgevonden Estate. Earlier this week estate management had Welgevonden Estate’s public green areas and estate buildings treated with insecticide to combat turf insects and pests. We urge residents to do the same should they identify wasp nests at their properties, either by doing it themselves, or by getting a service provider to do so.
Please click here to watch an informative video by Simon Allen, Val de Vie Estate’s environmental officer, in which he demonstrates a method of removing the wasp nests without using poisonous chemicals. (Acknowledgement: Val de Vie Estate)
Construction of a canopy at the R44 entrance
The current construction of a canopy at the pedestrian gate at the R44 entrance to Welgevonden Estate should be completed before the end of February 2024. The purpose of the canopy is to provide shelter against the rain to pedestrians when entering via the pedestrian gate.
Part of the project is to build a retainer wall to stabilise the soil in the area, and the removal and replacement of specific trees affected with disease. Landscaping of this area forms part of the estate’s ongoing landscaping upgrades.
Refuse bins
We request residents who have not yet collected their refuse bin numbers that correspond with the street numbers of their properties, to do so without delay.
The numbering of refuse bins became necessary as municipal refuse removal teams routinely gather refuse bins at central points on the estate when the truck comes around for collection, often without returning them. In such cases it is difficult to identify the erven where remaining empty bins belong, as they are not clearly marked. Numbering the bins will make it easy for estate management and residents to identify the bins, and will create a uniform appearance throughout the estate.
Please collect your bin number from the estate office (R44 entrance) as soon as possible.
Best regards
Gawie Marx
Estate Manager
25 January 2024
