Newsletter. In this issue: March/April 2009

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1 Newsletter In this issue: New Estate Manager 2 HOA Board Activities 3 Finances 3 Monitor Net Crime Bulletin 4 March/April 2009 Club News 5 Garden Design 6 Accredited Estate Agents 8 This newsletter focuses on the Zwartkop Golf Estate. The newsletter is currently available in electronic format on the website and is published on behalf of the Home Owners Association of the Zwartkop Golf Estate. Views and opinions expressed in articles, letters and advertisements are those of the author thereof and do not necessarily reflect those of the Zwartkop Golf Estate Home Owners Association, it s directors or employees. Design and Layout by CK Design Deadline for advertisements and editorial contribution for May/June edition is 25 May 2009 T he Easter Holiday is finally here! For those of you who are going away on holiday, please supply security with the dates that you will be away. Should you encounter any security problem over this period, the security manager Mr Tjaart van Straaten can be contacted on The Main gate s telephone number is We trust that all residents will enjoy their breakaway and travel safely. We as the residents of Zwartkop Golf Estate are in the privileged position of living in a beautiful and safe urban environment. We should also strive to enhance this environment and the associated lifestyle by acting in a good-neighbourly and mature fashion towards all other residents, visitors and golfers. Unfortunately we still have an unruly minority which tends to eliminate the tranquillity that should be there for all. Please familiarise yourself with the rules & regulations of the estate and ensure that all visitors, domestic employee and children abide by them. All residents input will contribute towards a blissful, valued and reputable environment within the estate. Thank you for your co-operation. ZGE HOA

2 Farewell... T he Zwartkop Golf Estate HOA Board of Directors would like to extend their sincere thanks to Mr Harold Jooste for all his hard work, commitment and contribution to Zwartkop Golf Estate over the last 4 years. He has always been dedicated and loyal to Zwartkop Golf Estate and for that we are most appreciative. We wish him all the best as new Estate Manager at Woodhill Golf Estate. and Now......for a Big Welcome to our new Estate Manager Mr Dawie van Rensburg. Congratulations on your appointment and Good Luck! Security REPORT On 12 March 2009 a security guard, while on rounds at Phase 2 Snead Manor, came upon two persons walking with brush cutters. When approached, they ran away and after investigating the matter it was ascertained that the cutters was stolen from the Maintenance Workshop, with probable help from the inside. There was no security breach on to the estate as the cutters was handed over from the Workshop side of the security fence over to the accomplices on the vacant area were the old stables were. Golf is like a love affair. If you don't take it seriously, it's no fun; if you do take it seriously, it breaks your heart. Arthur Daley Contact Numbers Estate Office: Main Gate: Club Office: Pro Shop: newsletter@zwartkopgolfestate.co.za Tjaart van Straaten 2

3 HOA Board Activities T he HOA Board is gearing up for our AGM in May With this comes the reviewing of all portfolios for 2008/2009. Questions we ask ourselves: What did we set out to achieve? Did we accomplish our goal? What are our strategic intentions What are the new goals for 2009/2010? Are there any matters to be carried over? Financial assessments of 2008/2009 Financial Planning 2009/2010 Prioritise financial tasks, actions and future plans Were we satisfied with our achieve ments for 2008/2009? We invite all residents to attend our AGM to share in our feedback session and make proposals. The AGM date will be communicated to you in the next few weeks. ZGE HOA TELEPHONES AT PHASE 2 AND 3 The Telkom line infrastructure is now in place at Snead Manor. Residents who need to obtain a Telkom line can use the following reference number: I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone s golf game: it s called an eraser. - Arnold Palmer APRIL THEME - Easter Specials Spoil a friend with an Easter voucher and receive a FREE gift MAKE EASTER A SPECIAL MONTH FOR FRIENDS AND FAMILY AT THE HAIR STUDIO Finansies deur Mike Taute Ons wil graag meer gereeld terugvoer gee oor die finansies en kyk in hierdie artikel na die begroting. Die direksie is bly om te kan sê dat die heffings nie hierdie jaar verhoog gaan word nie. Die inkomste wat ons genereer uit heffings is tans voldoende om ons maandelikse lopende uitgawes te dek, en in die lig van die huidige ekonomiese omstandighede is daar derhalwe besluit om die heffings onveranderd te laat. Onlangse navorsing het getoon dat Zwartkop Golf Estate se heffings laer is as die gemiddeld vir soortgelyke Golf Estates in Pretoria. Die begroting sal uitgestuur word in die volgende paar weke en sal bespreek word op die Algemene Jaarvergadering. Kontak gerus vir Anneli of Michael indien daar enige vrae of voorstelle is. 3

4 Crime Bulletin March/April 2009 Recently we again took note of another house robbery, this time inside the walls of a well known security estate in the eastern part of Pretoria. Again the media reported on how lucky the lady victim was and how near she was to being raped. Again they reported on how severely the male victim was assaulted and how the robbers ransacked the house after fleeing in the family s car. House robberies (police slang for an armed robbery that takes place at a residential address) is an increasing problem in the Gauteng province and besides the fact that the perpetrators causes extensive financial losses during such a robbery, the trauma a family endures, is beyond description. The robbers that enter your home are desperate to steal as much as possible, and they know that a child or wife as a hostage, opens safes and provide pin numbers which during a normal housebreaking would not have been accessible. Inside information helps them in their planning phase of the robbery and provides them with certain goals which they have to achieve during the robbery. The domestic workers in a large amount of cases opened the door to unknown people, although she knows about the crime situation and although her employee at more than one instance, warned her about not opening the premises without her permission. The one time she forgets or slips up, the visitors by chance, are armed robbers that ties her up and cleans out the entire house! What a coincidence! Housebreaking in the Wierdabrug precinct will always be of concern and besides Rooihuiskraal, The Reeds, Wierda Park and Eldoraigne topping the log, the rural areas of Mnandi an Knopjeslaagte has shown a dramatic increase in the occurrence of these crimes. Crimes are committed duiring the night time but the increase in daytime break inns are significant. Housebreakings at businesses still occur mainly during the night and the perpetrators mainly focus on computers. In the Hennops Park industrial area, the Hennops crawler (named this, because of the fact that on all CCTV footage, he can be observed crawling around trying to avoid alarm passive infra reds) causes businesses to lose data and literally stand still for a day, because of his creative way of stealing computers. out of hand, especially if taken into consideration that valuables such a laptops and digital cameras are stolen from these vehicles. In the first place, why keep a laptop and digital camera in a car, and secondly, why are these vehicles parked on the sidewalk in a priority crime area such as Wierdabrug?..eish! Car thieves still has extremely good taste, as Toyotas and Volkswagens still fancy their preference. These vehicles are traced to Mamelodi, Eersterus and Tembisa by the various tracking companies but again vehicles are stolen from sidewalks where they are left unattended, and not out of garages. SAPS Wierdabrug s new Station Commissioner took up his post last week, and he is determined to clear the area of criminal activities. Monitor Net will support all initiatives reducing crime and Snr Supt. Masia has our full support. The following requests from our side: When leaving on holiday, inform the security provider of your absence, and request additional patrols and visits Test your alarm system every second week to ensure that signals reach the control centre. Ask a friend to switch on lights or install a timer. The crook must always get the impression that someone is at home. Small dogs sleeping inside the house is a robber s worst enemy. Do not stop garden services when you are away on holiday. A neat and cared for garden again shows that there are life at the premises. When employing a domestic worker, persist on an ID document, a photo and a set of fingerprints. Enjoy the short holiday period and please return safe. Greetings The Monitor Net Team info@monitornet.co.za Theft out of motor vehicles at complexes seems to be getting Operational Manager : Paul Gerber ops@monitornet.co.za Reaction Manager : Kobus Blom eresp@monitornet.co.za Sales Manager: Frank Grobbelaar salesman@monitornet.co.za 4

5 Club News Join us for an exciting afternoon... Diarise the following golf club events: The Easter Festival is just around the corner and it will be taking place from Tuesday, 7th to Monday, 13th April, the normal competition fees apply and this is what we have planned for you: Tuesday, 7th April: Seniors and Ladies Open Day, Individual Stableford Wednesday, 8th April: Company Challenge Thursday, 9th April: Mega-Meat Open Day, Individual Stableford Friday, 10th April: Dale Hayes Open Trophy, Betterball Stableford Saturday, 11th April: Grand Slam Trophy Day and Money Draw, Individual Stableford Sunday, 12th April: Glenn and Otway Hayes Open, Mixed Betterball Stableford Monday, 13th April: Bell s Open Day Betterball, Stableford We have Sunday School from 16h00 every Sunday which will cost you R120 and includes 9 holes of golf, cart and your competition fee. No need to book, just arrive. Visitors welcome. The Friday School takes place on Friday s from 16h00 as long as the corporate day that day is not a shot-gun start. Check with the golf shop on (012) The R140 entry fee includes 9-holes of golf, cart, competition fee and snacks afterwards. We look forward to seeing you at the Club for HAPPY HOUR, between 18h00 19h00: Monday Madness All drinks half price Wednesday Meals on the patio or to take-away! Thirsty Thursday s Free chicken livers will be served TGI Friday s 20% Discount on all drinks and free potato skins will be served Saturday Meals available to eat on the patio or to take-away! Sunday Sundowners 20% Discount on drinks ZCC Estate Homeowners Twilight Club Membership If you are interested in playing 9-holes in the late afternoon after work; this might be perfect for you! The Twilight Special is available to golf members only and allows you to play golf any day from 16h00 in summer and 15h30 in winter. The membership fee is R1, and is valid for 12 months and includes greenfees and a golf cart. For more information or bookings contact reception on (012)

6 Garden Design Children in the Garden To a child a garden can/should be a space to explore, learn, touch & experience. A place of sound, smell, and unbelievable things to see and watch. Did you know that times spend in the childhood garden makes for some of the most vivid adult memories one day! Do what you can to include plants to educate and fascinate - design for wildlife and plan for leisure family time! Here are a few things to talk and think about: Sight Include in your planting scheme large foliage with dramatic colour and texture contrasts, Flowers that are brightly coloured (that they should sow themselves!) like sunflowers. Rivers made from pebbles (that they can lay themselves!) and wind chimes of coloured glass (made by them of course!). Are there butterflies? Ask your little one to sow for Alyssum, butterflies love 'em! And nasturtiums for the larvae. See what happens when you put a white rose in blue food colouring! Touch Leaves, stems, bark and flowers all feel different - some are hairy like Lamb's ear (protection against weather) while some are spiky and spiny like cacti (protection against being eaten). Taste There are many delicious plants to peck from, including fruit, herbs and vegetables. And nothing better than a juicy peach off the tree! BUT note that you should always know you can't just put any plant in your mouth! Beware of berries, plants with white sap and seeds you don't know! Sound Go to the centre of your garden, sit and close your eyes. What do you hear? Birds? Bees? The wind? Water? Plants have cool instrumental parts that can rattle (seed heads of Love-in-a-mist) or rustle (sweet corn). 6

7 Poisonous Plants Poisonous plants usually taste so vile that nobody would want to keep eating after the smallest nibble. But it is definitely advised to remove all poisonous specimens from the garden and home that has children in it. Smells Plants make oils that smell delicious to insects so that they can pollinate the flowers. Some plants have their smelly bits on their bark (like myrrh), some on their fruit's skin (like lemons), some as a closed flower bud (like a clove) or basil (a leaf), seeds like chillies and roots like ginger. See if you can plant lavender which are valuable for nighttime baths when little gardeners need to calm down! Insects are cool, so plant for wildlife! Insects are awesome with 3 body parts, 3 pairs of legs and some with wings. They change shape too! There are more insects than any other living group and appear almost everywhere on earth. Crickets make violin music by rubbing their front wings and grasshoppers with their back legs against front wings! The Atlas moth measures 30cm in wingspan! We can study insects work by simply getting close to a flower and staying still. With so much nectar nearby, you seize to exist to them! Create housing by adding rocks, wood and a wide variety of plants. Provide water and food by NOT spraying for pests! Insecticide throws the natural balance out so quickly that the bad guys will increase and you ll end up with an ongoing war that is never-ending. Be fascinated! Plants do Magic Only a plant can make its own food. Daytime they breathe in our polluted air, process it with the help of the sun, rain and its own green stuff, turn it into sugar energy - which is their grow-food. This is called photosynthesis. Nighttimes they breathe in oxygen and transpire extra moisture back out again. Plants play a very important role as they are our filters. Imagine sitting in a closed car with your uncle that smokes with only 1 window down a centimetre... That s what the earth would be like without our forest-lungs. Scary thought! 7

8 Accredited Estate Agents The following Estate Agents are accredited to do sales and letting on the Estate: SALES CHRISTEL BASSON TANYA VAN DEN BERG DIANNE VAN RENSBURG LINDA BREEDT MARIANDL PELSER ZELVIA EIENDOMME: JJ COETZEE RENTALS AULA RENTALS: CECILLIA NELL KOBUS BADENHORST RIA GERINGER WINKY BESTER VERA GELDENHUYS WIMPIE SNYMAN GLENDA WOLTER PAM GOLDING PROPERTIES: CARIN DREYER PS REAL ESTATE: WINKY BESTER ASAP RENTALS: AMMIE ASPELLING LORAINE WEIDEMAN PETER TRUTER PROPERTY PRINCIPAL GROUP: DIANNE VAN RENSBURG CITYSIDE REALTORS: JOAN VAN STADEN ZELVIA EIENDOMME: JJ COETZEE LYNETTE DEWING RAY VAN VUUREN Golf appeals to the idiot in us and the child. Just how childlike golf players become is proven by their frequent inability to count past five. - John Updike 8