SHELLEY POINT NEWS. August A community newsletter dedicated to fostering a sense of community and the free flow of information at Shelley Point

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1 SHELLEY POINT NEWS August 2016 A community newsletter dedicated to fostering a sense of community and the free flow of information at Shelley Point FROM THE EDITOR Hi All Hard to believe that this is already the sixth edition of Shelley Point News! Where has the year gone? But, we have almost come through yet another winter and I am sure that, like me, you are all anxiously awaiting the arrival of the flowers. August/September is my favourite time of the year here at Shelley Point. Not only do we have the flowers but also the weather is usually glorious at this time with very little wind and the worst of the cold generally behind us. Also, the whales and dolphins are often plentiful at this time. Spring is definitely on the way. Enjoy! Cheers Terry shelleypointnews@gmail.com Correction: In last month s newsletter the parking areas being surfaced were stated as being at Shell Bay off 11 th and at The Oystercatcher. In fact the parking areas are at Shell Bay and on Golden Mile Boulevard between 9 th Street and fountain. HOMEOWNERS HAVE THEIR SAY In response to Adel s query last month regarding recommendations for handymen, housekeepers, service providers and so on, homeowner Kobus says he has used a painter from Velddrif several times for extensive house painting as well as for minor repairs, small building projects and so on. He highly recommends his services and says that he has been extremely happy with the high quality of his workmanship. His name is Robert and he can be contacted on If you would like further details and references from Kobus, let me know and I will put you in touch with him. And on this subject, please send me your recommendations regarding basic service providers such as plumbers, electricians, house cleaners, handymen, carpenters, painters etc. I will then compile a list for publication in the next edition of Shelley Point News, which you can cut out and keep. It is always better to call on someone that has been recommended by others living in the area, rather than simply randomly selecting someone online or from the phone book. So please me your recommendations before 20 August so that they can be included in the list. This can then be 1

2 updated on a regular basis as additional recommendations are received. Donovan sent in an in response to last months comment in Homeowners have their say, regarding the fouling of beaches by dogs with particular reference to the beaches at Swakopmund. Donovan wil graag almal inlig dat hy in Swakopmund al n jaar bly en is tenminste vyf keer n week op die strand en hy weet van niemand wat enige siektes opgetel het nie. Another of our homeowners has requested that I alert and forewarn owners and potential new investors that they need to ensure that their boundary and building lines are correct as per plans submitted to Council. There has been an incident where a house was found to have been built on a boundary line and actually encroaching onto a neighbours property, thus necessitating a very costly solution to get the problem rectified. So, ensure before buying and building that you ask your estate agent for a land surveyors certificate for the property concerned. Niel asks if there are any Shelley Point residents interested in recycling? According to him there are some bale bags (huge green bags often used for recycling), next to a wendy house structure on the left, just after Steenbergs Cove. He drove in there recently and found that Arthur Christians (better known as Prillie) and his wife Lena, have a small recycling venture in operation. They accept tins, glass, plastics and cartons (not paper at this stage and no kitchen waste). You can place all these items together in one bag and they will do the final sorting. The glass and tins should be rinsed and the plastic clean. Anybody interested can contact Arthur at and/or Niel at UPDATE FROM THE SHELLEY POINT BOARD OF TRUSTEES: The latest meeting of the SPHOA Board of Trustees was held at Shelley Point on 1 st July 2016 The following matters of interest were discussed: Mr. Gert Joubert informed the meeting that BON Hotels had contacted him in May 2016 to inform him that an application for voluntary liquidation had been lodged with the High Court. On 30 June he received confirmation that the application had been granted. As the owner of the property, there are several options open to him, but since events had occurred very quickly, the way forward was still being considered and that there were no concrete plans as yet. Options include: Mothballing the property not a desirable option for anyone. Trying to contract another hotel operator to lease the hotel. Repurposing and then selling the property. Time Share or Sectional Title Development and the possibility of selling the rooms as sectional title retirement units. Mr. Joubert stated that his intention is to ensure a positive outcome for Shelley Point. In the short term, his main concern is to maintain the liquor license and keep the restaurant operating since these are critical elements of the business plan for the golf course going forward. Expenditure on a new wood chipper to assist with bush clearing was not approved. Modifications will be made to the existing wood chipper to improve safety and reliability and the material that cannot be handled by the current machine will be transported to landfill. 2

3 The meeting was informed that several owners were currently paying penalties for failing to ensure that buildings were erected to plan. Work is ongoing to develop proposals for the inclusion of rainwater harvest tanks and solar installations in the Building Design Manual (BDM). These proposals must meet existing aesthetic standards for Shelley Point. Several changes to the wording of the BDM are deemed to be necessary. These changes will be presented to the AGM for approval and include amendments to the areas dealing with: o The management of malpractice by builders. o Addenda to, and annotation of, building plans. o Introduction of a Builders Deposit to cover damage to SP infrastructure during building operations. o The height of hedges and boundary walls. Concern was again expressed regarding the extremely poor quality of some drawings / building plans being submitted to the HOA for approval. Home owners are reminded that building plans MUST be submitted for approval prior to work commencing on any project. These drawings MUST be prepared by a qualified Professional Senior Architectural Technologist (PSAT) and must be submitted in PDF format. SECURITY PORTFOLIO (I.Mackintosh) ADT has appointed Ryan Harris as permanent technician with effect from 4 July His duties include the installation, servicing and repair of house alarms as well as the maintenance of other security technology deployed at SP. ADT has appointed Mr. Anthony Stock to manage ADT day-to-day operations at Shelley Point. Anthony is based in Langebaan and will look after Langebaan Golf Estate, Shelley Point and Admiral Island. This will result in much tighter management of operations and improved communications with ADT staff and the SPHOA. The system installed recently to monitor the performance of guards on foot patrol is working effectively. The ADT/SPHOA contract is coming up for renewal over the next few months. In accordance with a decision taken by the Trustees on 15 April 2015 it was decided that the contract should be renewed for a further year. In due course, discussions will be held with ADT Management to conclude this. An Electronic Visitor Information Management System (EVIMS) is currently being evaluated for possible application at Shelley Point. This type of system has successfully been implemented at similar estates across the country and has greatly improved access control. n Aantal insidente rakende honde probleme was aangemeld. Dit sluit in beheer van plaaslike honde sowel as honde van naburige woongebiede. In een insident, het n hond van Britannia Bay een van Shelley Point se inwoners gebyt en ernstig beseer. n klag is by die polisie opgelê en die hond se eienaar is beboet en verantwoordelik gehou vir aansienlike mediese onkoste. Ek maak weereens n beroep aan huiseienaars om die regte van andere te respekteer en om HUL HONDE TEN ALLE TYE ONDER BEHEER TE HOU. There were two incidents of unauthorized access to the site. While it is clearly the 3

4 responsibility of security to prevent such incursions as far as possible, we unfortunately are exposed to access via beaches. Please take the time to alert security to the presence of strangers or suspicious individuals. MAINTENANCE AND GARDENS (N Cowan) The money for the building of the parking areas has been received from the developer. Owners impacted by the construction of these have been consulted. Several concerns were raised and these will be addressed during further consultations. Golf Data will take over the management of the golf course on 1 August It was pointed out that the maintenance of the palm trees on the golf course has been taken over by Mias. A question was asked on the cost of watering the palm trees on the median strip. This was confirmed to be ±R monthly. Mr Van Ass mentioned that Mias is looking after all the palm trees very well. Mr Joubert pointed out that they have to be careful when cutting the grass around the palm trees as the trunks are being damaged. LEGAL PORTFOLIO (J Tubb) Several instances have been noted where the wording of the SPHOA Constitution is in conflict with other documents such as the BDM or the Conduct Rules. In such instances, the Constitution takes precedence. However, a review will be undertaken to ensure consistency between the various documents. Dates of the next Trustees Meetings: 07 September 2016, Durbanville 04 November 2016, Shelley Point PHOTO OF THE MONTH Die wenner van hierdie maand se Shelley Point Foto is Trevor Dean met die pragtige foto wat hy gedurende Junie hierdie jaar geneem het. Trevor se foto sal nou, saam met die ander maandelike wenners, in die Foto van die Jaar kompetiese ingeskryf word. Huiseienaars sal gevra word om vir n wenfoto te stem. Die prys sou n geskenkbewys van Bon Hotels gewees het maar sedert hul likwidasie sal ons n ander prys moet vind. As iemand dalk n prys wil skenk laat ons asseblief weet. Plans for the building of a fire station have not yet been finalised and several more cost effective options are currently under consideration along with the development of store rooms and workshops for the maintenance staff and golf course management team. A proposal is being considered for the construction of a series of garages / storage units to be situated at the workshop. The proposal will be considered and discussed at the next trustees meeting. 4

5 SPORT AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Maandelike Skemersamekoms Indien u nog nie by een van hierdie vriendelike sosiale byeenkomste was nie, probeer gerus om hierdie maand te kom. Ek waarborg dat u dit sal geniet. Die volgende een vind plaas op 26 Augustus by die Buiteklub om 5 7 nm. Bring asseblief n bord southappies om te deel. Book Club: Anyone interested in joining the book club should Yvonne at lycoll@wol.co.za for more information. Second hand book sale: One last opportunity exists to visit the Art & Book Café at 33 Main Street, Vredenburg. ALL books less 50 % until 31 August. Golf: Want to play? Pop in to the country club and speak to Johan Blaauw or alternatively contact Johan Louw on johanbev@mweb.co.za. Bridge: Duplicate bridge continues every Wednesday afternoon at the country club. For additional information contact Terry didge28@gmail.com Bowls: Please note that play is temporarily suspended until 2 September when the warmer and drier weather returns. For further information, contact Bev johanbev@mweb.co.za Tennis: To find out more about playing tennis at Shelley Point, Niel at ddt@vodamail.co.za Shelley Point Spa. Please note that the spa is still fully operational. Phone for an appointment by calling or alternatively visit their website for the latest promotions and pricelist. They are presently offering a 20% discount on treatments for the month of August only! Phone and book today. NATURE CORNER We have highlighted various birds, frogs and tortoises so far this year. This month, we will be reading about worms. A very big thank-you to Chris Roberts for this interesting article on soil and vermiculture. For soil to be a good medium in which to grow plants, it is necessary that it consists of between 5% and 20% humus, which is the organic matter in the soil such as compost and includes microorganisms. However, in South Africa, our soil generally consists of less than 2% humus and where we are at Shelley Point, this is likely to be considerably less. Humus helps to retain water, regulate soil temperature and also aerate the soil, all of which is essential for the healthy cultivation of plants. Too often, we need to till and turn over the beds, which would not be necessary if there was adequate humus. In addition, sunlight kills humus, so tilling and turning the soil merely depletes the soil further. Charles Darwin first recognized the action of worms and described the material created by worms as vegetable mould. Today this rich organic soil is known as vermi-cast. In this day and age of recycling, it makes sense for us to look for ways to reduce the impact of our waste on the planet. Most of us discard our kitchen waste into the dustbin and await its removal each Thursday, never considering where this all ends up - in land fill sites where it ferments, causing disease and releasing noxious gases into the air. 5

6 There is a very simple way that you can handle most of your kitchen waste and turn it into rich vermi-cast and "worm tea" to be utilized on your plants and gardens. Commercial bins are available from companies such as Wizzard Worms but it is simple to make your own "Worm Farm" out of wood, with a plastic collection box underneath. PS. Are you aware that there are recycling bins at the St Helena Town Council buildings where you can deposit bottles, tins, plastic and paper? VRAAG VAN DIE MAAND: Weet iemand miskien wie Hein en Daniël Steyn was - die twee jong mans in wie se herinnering die bankies by Shell Bay opgerig was? Mens voel onwillekeurig meegevoel met die onbekende familie wie twee sulke jong mans verloor het. Hein was 24 en Daniël maar net 17. There are certain basic rules to follow such as: Basic garden worms are not ideal. Preferably use Eisenia Fetida worms. SHELLEY POINT PERSONALITIES Robert Dick Do not put acidic waste into the worm farm, such as onions & citrus, and do not put in salt, protein and dairy products. Anyone interested in finding out more about starting and operating a worm farm can contact Chris Roberts on He will be happy to help you get going. Shelley Point tennis coach, Robert Dick, recently returned from the World ITF Young Seniors Championships, which was held in Umag, Croatia. Here, he competed against the best senior players in the world, participating in both the singles and doubles tournaments. In the singles, he made it through to the final sixteen (out of 109 singles players) and eventually lost to the eventual winner of the tournament. An incredible achievement indeed! In the doubles tournament, he succeeded in reaching the semi-finals with Bruce Young, where they managed to beat both the number one and number five seeds, losing again to the eventual winners but securing the bronze medal. 6

7 Robert is now currently ranked 37 th in the world in the 45+ age group which is a great sense of pride to all of us here at Shelley Point. In addition, due to his recent efforts at the Gauteng North Tennis Open, he not only reached the final in the singles (losing to Bruce Young) but actually won the doubles with partner Gareth Gibson. As a result of these outstanding performances, Robert is now the number one ranked singles and doubles player over 45 in the entire country! News. Discussions are presently underway to look at possibly circulating items for sale in a separate publication in which a fee will be requested for all adverts placed. VASCO SÊ: Way to go, Robert! For those of you who are tennis enthusiasts wanting to improve your game (or even learn to play), Robert is also a qualified tennis coach and is available to coach here at the country club. Visit the country club should you require more information or shelleypointnews@gmail.com We always enjoy highlighting the efforts and achievements of our Shelley Point community. If you know of other personalities with interesting backgrounds or accomplishments, please send us a paragraph or two about them. (Just get their permission first!) CLASSIFIED ADS Selection of unique wooden lamps handmade from railway sleepers. Cost from R250 excluding shade. For more details and photos of lamps call Chris on Olà! Ek wil graag aanbeveel dat die lesers die museum, wat in my eer opgerig is, besoek. Vra Anette vir die sleutel en bewonder my asemrowende begaafdheid en prestasies. Grato! For sale - selection of movie and series DVDs at very reasonable prices. For list of titles available and prices, please didge28@gmail.com Porcelain Piggy Banks for sale R30-R50 each depending on size. For more information, didge28@gmail.com A pair of top quality B&W hi-fidelity speakers in perfect condition. R Unfortunately, this will be the last time that Classified Ads will appear in Shelley Point 7