de zalze oct newsletterthe crown landscaping team recently came upon a swarm of bees who made a...

MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

OCTOBER 2010 ISSUE 50

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WEB: WWW.DEZALZEESTATE.COM OFFICE TEL: (021) 880 2708 OFFICE FAX: (021) 880 2709

We have noticed that many members have commented that our newsletters are perhaps too long and should be

more factual. In an effort to address this, we are placing notices at the beginning of the newsletter which covers

matters affecting you or is of importance to our readers.

For those who are interested, we now have a new repository on our website, where previous newsletters are now

stored, and can be accessed under About, Newsletters.

On that note—here are the Notices!

NOTICES:

OF NOTE...

New signage has been erected in all the vineyards on the Estate. The signs display the cultivar, block number,

plant date, and the size of the block in Hectares. You can distinguish our vineyards from those of Kleine Zalze by

the colour of the signs. All De Zalze HOA signs are in the Estate gray and white.

ON THE BLOCK

WINELANDS GOLF LODGES

The Winelands Golf Lodges recently acquired a new management team, Zabulan Hospitality. You can reach their

reception by emailing [email protected] or calling 021 880 6900. See the De Zalze website for full information.

As summer is around the corner, the Lodges requested that we remind you again that the pool is only for use by

Lodge guests or Spa clients (more on the Spa opening in the next newsletter!). Don't forget to visit the Ladies Tea

Room, where Juanita will cater for all your needs and she bakes the most delicious cakes!


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Please note that Thorburn Remote Monitoring will be moving to a more advanced and bigger control

room. The control centre will be moved between the periods of 29th of October and the 2nd of No-

vember.

Their contact details have been changed to 021 933 5699 with effect 29 October at 18h00. Should you have any enquiries

please contact Yolanda van Heerden on 021 933 5699 or [email protected]

In order for our security teams to be more effective and not waste time, we want to bring to you some of

the issues which can raise a false alarm.

Environmental factors

Birds or small animals and rodents inside the house

Cockroaches and spiders especially in food preparation areas

Unlatched, loose doors or windows

Loose fittings around windows and doors which allow excessive air movement

Air conditioners, ventilators, fans etc. where rapid temperature changes or air movements take place

Condensation or dripping water

New electrical wiring or metal piping in your home, which can have an effect on your system, especially where radio commu-

nicators are installed

Corrosion and damages to wiring

Damage to wiring may be caused by virtually anything. Visually check wires or detectors near doors and windows, in pas-

sageways and high traffic areas or where boxes and goods are stacked against walls etc.

Power Problems

Main plugs should not be shared with other devices

Replace the batteries at least every year or better every 6 months in wireless devices

Lack of training

Make sure all those with authorised access to your property know how to arm and disarm the alarm

Always close windows and never leave pets in the house when arming the alarm

Spray insect repellent around your detection devices once a month

Reflected light from swimming pools, glass tabletops, tile floors and mirrors can cause false alarms on some of the more

sensitive detectors.

It is advisable to have your alarm serviced once a year by a professional to make sure that the system is functioning properly.

Should you have any queries contact your service provider or Risk Control Manager for assistance.

HOUSE ALARMS

PAINTERS/CONTRACTORS NOTICE

Please inform all your contractors to never use the storm water system as a method of dumping chemical or paint, as this runs

straight to the Blaauwklippen River…

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SUPPORT PLEASE FOR SOCIAL INVOLVEMENT

Last month we told you about the Stellenbosch Municipality who is planning a flower festival for 27 November 2010 in ward

17, the Jamestown area.

We hope that by sharing this feature with you, our home owners would consider further support as a special hand-over oppor-

tunity 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 over-

flowing with 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 ac-

tivities.

PROPERTIES FOR RENT

The HOA wishes to remind those leasing out their properties that

In terms of the Rules, section 11.2: “Members or their agents shall

give the Association prior written notice of any tenants or guests

who are to occupy the member’s residence in the absence of that

member. Every tenant and/or guest shall be required to register at

the offices of the manager within 1(one) working day after arrival

and to sign a declaration that he is acquainted with these rules and

acknowledges that these rules are binding on him.”

This is an essential part of the access control for the Estate and

without every homeowner buying in, we can not provide an overall

service to all our residents. As a new initiative which the HOA will

start in 2011 we will be conducting compulsory formal induction

procedures for all new lessees and owners on the Estate.

POST BOXES

The De Zalze Post Boxes are nearing completion and soon all homes will have a designated post box managed by the Stellen-

bosch Mail Depot. Please see address details below.

We keep at the HOA offices all incoming mail where it is being sorted by erf number, ready for your collection from our offices.

Even if you have never had a post box there may very well be mail here for you.

Your new address details will be:

No. [your erf number for example No.123]

De Zalze Winelands Golf Estate

Stellenbosch

7600

We will send an email when the keys are ready for collection.

TREES AND PLANTS OF THE ESTATE GOING LIVE

The HOA calls again for the support in finalising the taking of photo-

graphs of estate plants and trees for posting onto our website.

Please contact Dianne at [email protected] for further informa-

tion.

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ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOCUS— BEE ACTIVITY

SNAP UP A PRIZE— DE ZALZE, THE MOMENT CAPTURED

Amongst our own homeowners we have discovered a pho-

tographer with great potential. Our own Richard Brandt,

has been “playing” with his new camera for the past couple

of months and has delivered absolutely amazing results.

We crowned him as our month’s winner. Judging by his

talent… you’ll see his name again!

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.

It’s in the detail—Richard Brandt

SPECIAL MANAGEMENT TRUST DEED NEEDS A LOGO

The SMA Trust will shortly be handed over to the HOA and a new group of Trustees will be appointed. As part and parcel of the

handover we would like you to participate in a competition, by designing a fitting new logo for this Trust.

In order to assist you in this design, we’d like to refer you to the SMA Trust Deed which can be found on the De Zalze Website

which will give you a better understanding of the Trust’s function.

Email [email protected] with your creative proposals!

The Crown Landscaping team recently came upon a swarm of bees who made a manhole their home. This created a bit of a

problem as the gardeners could not perform their too work close to this area.

As we all know, bees are an essential part of nature, not only for the fact that they produce honey and other important by-

products. They are also responsible for pollinating a variety of crops that are essential for both human and animal consump-

tion.

Actually they are LICHENS……

A Lichen is a plant. It has no leaves, stems or roots, but like other plants it makes its own food using

energy from sunlight. Lichens resemble mosses: both are small and grow on trees or rocks as well

as on the ground. Mosses are made up of slender, green stems with tiny, transparent, green leaves.

Lichens, however, come in many forms: paint-like rust; scalloped, wrinkled sheets; lace-like pads;

bushy tufts; unkempt strands of black, ray or green, “hair”. A Lichen is a fungus, but it contains one

or more kinds of algae which make its food. Inside the lichen is a layer of green or blue-green algae.

The algae make food, both for themselves and for the fungus. The partnership between the algae

and fungi in lichens is a classical example of a relationship known as symbiosis.

ARE LICHENS HARMFUL TO OUR TREES? No. Lichens make their own food with moisture and

sunlight, and have no need to feed on other plants. Although the lichens are attached to the bark or

penetrate a short distance, they do not enter the inner bark where food is transported, and do not

rob the tree of nourishment. Neither do lichens cause disease.

Lichens grows in winter, and they get water and minerals from the air. When a lichen is wet from

rain or dew it grows actively, but when it dries out in summer, it stops growing and lies dormant

until the next rains. Lichens are sensitive to airborne materials, with their growth dependant upon

the quality of the surrounding air. This would mean the higher the visibility of Lichens, the better

the quality of air.

De Zalze is privileged to have many types of Lichen on many of it’s trees which can be found throughout the Estate, just prov-

ing that you are surrounded with a healthy environment.

Not many people are aware of some of the healing powers associated with honey, propolis and royal jelly. As far back as early

days of the Egyptians, evidence of embalming with honey and calabashes filled with extracts of pollen have been found in the

some of their burial chambers. It is also known that the Hezbollah cultivate patches of marijuana with the honeybee where the

marijuana is exchanged for guns.

But let us come back to our bees in the manhole. Knowing that our Estate Manager is a keen Bee Keeper, Crown contacted him

and Leon Botes, the Estate Landscaping Manager was asked to assist him in relocating them to a commercial beehive.

We were able to remove the majority into a brood hive, but a lot of the swarm stayed behind. Then we transferred the swam

into a standard hive and relocated them to the lemon orchards on erf 4 on the Estate. Meanwhile some of the swarm kept to

the manhole, which in the absence of a queen bee they soon dissipated.

The Hives are far away from any residential properties so nobody should get a sting or two. Leon is now really hooked on bee

keeping and will keep you posted on their well being.


WHAT IS GROWING ON OUR TREES …..IS IT A FUNGUS, OR A MOSS?

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Thank you for the great turnout at the “Snakes Alive” educational morning which we

recently held on the estate. Marcel Witberg of the Cape Reptile Institute shared tips

on how to identify snakes specific to this area. From the ominous looking black

crates came Puff Adders, Cape Cobras, a Rinkhals, and two very friendly yet large

Mole snakes, that those brave enough were invited to hold and touch.

Marcel and his team made sure that all got a close view of all the snakes by placing

their heads in a tube, “tubing” where participants were able to touch the reptiles

without fear of being bitten.

The main thing to remember when spotting a snake in your yard or home is to keep

a safe distance, keep your pets away and keep on watching it to see where it moves

towards. If you are concerned, there are various people on the estate who can as-

sist you in catching the snake if you know where it lives. Importantly, if bitten by a

snake—get to the closest hospital as fast as possible for life support. If you can, take

a photo with you from your cell phone, it assist the medical facility with identifying

what vaccine to use. Don't try a Crocodile Dundee stunt and cut and suck out the

poison.

Marcel offers a two day snake handling course for all those interested for R700 for

the two days. Feel free to contact Marcel at [email protected] (Please note

age restriction 16 and above).

SNAKES ALIVE EDUCATIONAL MORNING

KIDS CORNER

We continue with further top tips for raising healthy, active kids.

Make it a family plan. Get the entire family involved in staying active by schedule physical activities on the weekend for the

family. On the Estate there is loads of options such as hiking, biking, swimming (the ocean being on our doorstep!), family re-

lay races, and of course nothing beats a round of golf.

Start an exercise club. Kids loving being part of a club, and an exercise club might be just the inspiration they need to get mov-

ing. Get children together and create an exercise club instead of a book club. Turn on the music and move.

Catch Dance fever. Does your child love watching Dancing with the Stars on TV? Enrol him in a dancing class! Ballroom dancing

is a great way to get children active, enhance their social skills, build their motor functions and coordination, and engage them

in learning something new simultaneously.

Take them to a park. Remember how much you loved the park as a child? They will, too. There is piles of information that show

that letting kids play outside every day and making sure they have access to a playground are key factors in ensuring they grow

up healthy, both physically and mentally.

Play catch. Throw your child a ball and ask her to throw it back. It's infectious!

Don't forget that children are modelling their behaviour after your own. Make sure you

are being a healthy role model by eating right and being active with your kids. Start

unplugging Your inner child!

de zalze oct newsletterthe crown landscaping team recently came upon a swarm of bees who made a...

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