Dear Welgevonden Estate Homeowners and Residents
Ruan du Plessis who has been Welgevonden Estate’s landscape manager since July 2022, has resigned from this position, as he will be relocating to the UK.
He will certainly be missed by estate management and Welgevonden Estate residents alike! We thank him for his professional input on landscaping matters, his creativity in the appearance and overall appeal of Welgevonden Estate’s gardens, and his hard work to create what he envisaged for the estate. He leaves a precious legacy behind upon which we will build in the future.
We wish him all the best for his new venture.
Appointment of Paul Jordaan
At the same time, it is a pleasure to welcome Paul Jordaan who has taken over Ruan’s portfolio.
Paul is a full-blooded Stellenbosser. He grew up in the beautiful Jonkershoek, attended school at Paul Roos Gymnasium, and attained two degrees – BSc in Conservation Ecology and Entomology, and MSc in Sustainable Agriculture – at the Stellenbosch University.
His exposure to nature and nature conservation since childhood, his qualifications in this field, his career experience since completing his studies, and his love for the outdoors, make him the ideal person to take responsibility for Welgevonden Estate’s landscaping.
When asked about his vision in his new role, he explained that he would be following a holistic approach, with a focus on sustainability, in creating communal gardens and public open spaces that reflect an integrated and appealing ambiance. He also pointed out that, above all, he would ensure that the estate’s landscape function is in line with, and supports, the WHOA’s overall goal of making Welgevonden Estate the preferred residential estate in the Cape Winelands.
How does Paul feel about working on Welgevonden Estate?
“Being from Stellenbosch, I’ve seen Welgevonden Estate grow and flourish over the years. For me, the estate always had a “people feel” to it – a place where families can feel at home, and where children can play. To be able to now work here is a privilege and, in a way, a dream come true!”
What would make Paul happy in his new position at Welgevonden Estate?
“I’m here to work for the community. My dream is to create a landscape environment that each resident will enjoy, and where the detail of each flower bed and each little corner will make heads turn, with people looking twice to delight in what they see! When this is happening, I will be happy!”
Picture: Paul Jordaan
Maintenance of properties and streetscape
The review of the external appearances of all houses in Welgevonden Estate – decided upon last year and announced twice during 2022 – is well underway. With this review Excom aims to ensure that Welgevonden Estate properties are maintained and kept in a state of good repair, and to help protect the value of properties on the estate.
Thank you for the positive responses we are receiving from homeowners who are in support of this endeavour to ensure that properties are maintained and kept in a state of good repair.
At the same time, we recognise that there might be homeowners with valid reasons why certain aspects of their properties do not comply with the WHOA’s statutory directives, or who may require more time to attend to the matters identified. In such instances we invite homeowners to discuss their specific circumstances with me as estate manager to see what could be done to resolve possible issues, or to allow for an extension of the due date.
We wish to point out that the matters being addressed during the review are not new, but based upon the directives contained in the WHOA Architectural Directives and Design Guidelines and the WHOA Rules that have been in existence for many years. Also, even though there might be instances where specific deviations from these directives may have been ongoing for some time, it does not exempt homeowners from rectifying it, if pointed out now.
We will soon be circulating additional information in a separate communication to homeowners regarding the notices we have sent out before, and in which we addressed the maintenance of properties.
Speed limit on Welgevonden Estate
As announced in February 2023, the speed limit on Welgevonden Estate has been lowered to 30 km/h with effect 1 March 2023. Road signs in this regard, and notices to drive carefully, have been put up on the estate.
We request all residents to adhere to the speed limit and, above all, to drive with the utmost care on the estate’s roads. Welgevonden Estate’s design does not provide for wide streets, street crossings with ample visibility, and pavements where pedestrians can walk in safety. Adults and children on foot or on bicycles, as well as pets, share the roads with motorists. We as residents and our visitors have the responsibility to use our roads in a way that will ensure safety for all.
Progress: New irrigation infrastructure
This project is now nearing completion. Final system settings will be made during the next two weeks, and smaller outstanding matters attended to.
We are particularly satisfied with the contractor’s execution of the project, and the way in which work was done with as little as possible inconvenience to residents. Areas under irrigation are already showing an improved appearance, even now during the hottest time of the year!
Unfortunately the current load shedding which impacts upon life in South Africa, is also having an effect on programming the irrigation system’s timers, and on running the system’s electric pumps according to predetermined schedules. We are doing our best to ensure an even distribution of irrigation water across the estate, and looking into ways to become independent of the grid as far as the irrigation system goes.
Development of the Welgevonden dam area
The tender process for the upgrade of the Welgevonden dam for recreational purposes has started this week, 6 March 2023. Once the tender process has been completed and the appointment of the successful contractors has been approved by Excom, work will commence, and will we communicate more details to all.
Parking on Welgevonden Estate
We wish to emphasise that public parking on Welgevonden Estate is reserved for visitors only.
Residents may only park on their erven – which includes their garages and driveways – and not in public parking areas, on pavements, or any other area on the estate, unless they have a special permit, obtainable from the estate office, to do so.
Please take note of the details of Welgevonden Estate’s Parking Control Measures (click here), and the WHOA Estate Rules regarding parking and standing of vehicles (click here).
Special newsletter feature!
Please also read the editor’s contribution in this newsletter that follows Gawie’s signature below.
Best regards
Gawie Marx
Estate Manager
7 March 2023
Editor’s contribution
Estate manager Gawie Marx – diagnosed with acute leukemia in 1997, and having undergone a successful bone-marrow transplant in 1998 – will be representing South Africa as part of a 36-member squad in April this year at the World Transplant Games to be staged in Perth, Australia. More than 3 000 transplant athletes are expected to participate in the event.
This is not a first for Gawie. As an avid tennis player, he was part of the South African team at the World Transplant Games in 2001 (Japan), 2003 (France), 2011 (Sweden), 2013 (South Africa), 2015 (Argentina), 2017 (Spain), and 2019 (England). On three occasions he brought home a bronze medal in the tennis men’s doubles.
The Western Cape team members will be receiving their Protea colours at a gala event on 3 April this year, and the team will depart for Australia on 13 April.
Gawie, we wish you all the best for your participation in the upcoming World Transplant Games. We are confident that you will make the most of this significant event. You being a part of this, certainly stands as a symbol of your perseverance to overcome an illness which you have decided will not control your life!
* In South Africa, the SA National Transplant Games is held every two years, giving athletes the opportunity to qualify for the World Transplant Games (WTG) which is held every alternate year. South Africa has been participating in the games since 1993, and was positioned 5th out of 60 countries at the World Transplant Games in 2019 in Newcastle, UK.
The South African team is compiled and managed under the auspices of the South Africa Transplant Sports Association – an Affiliated Member of the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC). The association’s vision is to optimise the quality of life of organ transplant recipients, and through sports and other physical activities, promote organ donation and transplantation.
Ed
Picture: Gawie at the World Transplant Games in Sweden, 2011