Ostriches

Having leaved in Outshoorn for many years I consider these creatures domestic animals. I don't think they would fit in with our estate. Yes, they are very dangerous when they have young or eggs to protect. My vote - NO!

Bloubul

Killer ostriches

I do agree with Martin that these birds are dangerous and perhaps more dangerous than the two legged, skirted ones without feathers. When they have young chicks they have even been known to attack lone lions. We should think of some other species of game.

Cheers

Gato

Feeb back on the animals

In answer to Ou suinig's letters of 16 and 22 November. Martin Wolmarans was so kind as to provide us with the following answer.

Good Day Ciarra

The following animals were caught and sold to the nature estate:

Eland 24
Black Wilde bees 21
Blesbok – 15

The following new game were added recently:
Livingston Eland 5
Waterbuck – 6 (Has anyone noticed them?)

We would like to add as many as possible different types of species on the farm which is also part of our short – long term (5 year plan).

For each and every new game species we want to add on the farm we need to apply for a permit from the Nature Conservation. They will advise if we are allowed to have the specified species or not. It is all about the individual habitat of the specific animals. For example I approached them for a permit on the Nalas which they declined as this is not their natural habitat.

Your question relating to the ostrich we will have to apply for a permit however do we really want them as we could face a problem especially with our kids running around freely on the Eco estate - it could be dangerous to them.

I hope all our nature lovers noted that we planted 65 trees on the estate over the last two weeks. As well as the fish have arrived and all the dams are properly stocked with a combination of Tilapias. See pictures attached.

If you would like more detail regarding the game please contact me on the following numbers below.


Kind Regards,

Martin Wolmarans
Transchem Logistics
Director
t / +27 11 867 4136
f / +27 11 867 3145 (office)
f / +27 86 619 2565 (direct)
c / +27 83 253 5338

Christmas Father's Visit

It’s not the Starship Enterprise

In answer to Snoopy’s letter of 22 Nov 2010.

That is not the Starship Enterprise, it is the new venue for the 2011 academy awards.

Regards

Spiro

Feedback on crusher site

If Mr XYZ and Gato does not mind, I will reply to this and all others who are wondering what’s going on.

Adrian and I are almost continually working on this with trips to the Surveyor General’s offices in Pretoria, trips to GDACE , the council, our lawyer and advocate and the green scorpions. And I can assure you that we have made significant progress.

I appeal to the 150 or so owners who are giving our team support to bear with us. It has been difficult to get exact details of what has transpired but we are very close now.

Perhaps within the next four weeks we will have something conclusive and hopefully positive to present.

Regards

Rynette

You are polluting the air!!

To the home owner who was trying to make a braai near the dams 5H00 last Saturday.

Please use charcoal as suppose to tyres, old bakkie canopy's or old paint tins as they smoke a lot less.

Cheers

Gringo

Starship Enterprise

Hi

I don't often use the entrance at Soetdoring but I was late coming back from Potchefstroom the other night and when I look across the valley, I thought that the Starship Enterprise had landed in the estate.

If nobody believes me, drive up to the top of the estate and look down into the valley to the east.

Snoopy

Hoeveel diere het ons weg gegee?

Hi Ciarra

Ek het 'n brief gepos op die 16de November, rakende die diere wat nou so skaars is.

Kon jy al uitvind hoeveel diere daar weg gegee was en of ons nog diere gaan aankoop?

Groete

Ou suinig



I will try and find out from Archie Rutherford or Martin Wolmarans.

Ciarra

What's happening with petition?

What's happening about the petition that most of us signed?

I drove to the top of the estate on my way to the Glen and I am quite concerned about the level of work being carried out at the crusher site.

Mr XYZ

I also receive the following letter regarding the same issue -

Hello everyone,

A while ago I gave a guy my signature regarding the petition to stop the construction work up at the top of the estate. Since then we have heard nothing. Is there any news on this?

Chow

Gato


I will try and get some feedback regarding this issue.

Ciarra

Some Halloween kids!

Re-paving deposit

I have lived here for a year and a half and when I received back my paving deposit it was minus R1000.00 This is strange and so I ask why. Last year's board elected to say that this is how it is because contractor's continue to cause damage .

What have I done wrong that makes me liable for what contractors are doing? When my deposit was paid there was no mention of R1000.00 that would be withheld. So this is wrong and theft. I want my R1000.00 bucks as all of us who has received R1000.00 short do also.

If you wish, with new building projects to withhold R1000.00 have the decency to inform people. Perhaps somebody with principals in the newly elected board will agree with us that you cannot change the rules. What you say in the beginning must be true to the end.

Gatvol

Waar is die wilde diere?

Ons het vriende van Swartruggens oorgenooi sodat ons kon spog met ons eie "wilds plaas" hier in die middel van die dorp.

Probleem is ons het hulle genooi voordat die diere verminder is. Ons het 'n hele paar keer die hele landgoed plat gery, maar niks gesien nie. Wat 'n anti-klimaks!

Hoeveel diere het ons van die landgoed verwyder?

Ek reken nie eers 'n veedief sal twee keer na ons landgoed kyk nie, want daar is niks om te steel nie.

Ou suinig

Explanation of levy rise & GDACE rules

Thanks again for all the people that voted for me.

I have decided to do my posting through Ciarra’s blog as well as the official estate’s website in the hope of being able to reach more home owners.

With regard to the levies, and many complaints that the home owners don’t fully understand the justification for the increases we will publish more explanatory brake-down of the figures after the next finance meeting on the 18th November 2010.

I will, due to my accountancy qualifications in devour to look for ways to seek ways to reduced levies in line with common business practise – I am concerned just as much as anyone else. We have worked hard for our money and this we have achieved by not wasting it. I will be a strong campaigner against frivolous and unnecessary expenditure.

On a different subject, there will be a complaints, compliments and suggestions register at the management offices for all home owners to use. I would however like to be e-mailed directly at rynette@orbitaldistributors.co.za so that I may follow up on any such submissions.

Complainants must understand that most of the rules have been stipulated by GDACE and as such are LAW. Should you wish to make representation to GDACE to have a regulation changed you may get their address from the manager Fred Botes. Home owners must understand that even if we think a rule is ridiculous it is not our call. If people appreciate this it will cause less ill feeling.

Regards

Rynette

Wie en wat is ons nou eintlik?

Wie en wat is ons – Meyersdal Nature Estate of Meyersdal Eco Estate?

Die munisipaliteit dokumente sê dat ons in die Meyersdal Nature Estate uitbreiding 1, 2 & 3 bly. Die bestuur van ons landgoed sê dat ons die Meyersdal Eco Estate is.

Ek verstaan ook dat die grense van ons landgoed soos dit uitgesit is deur ons grensdrade, ook nie die waarheid is nie. Is dit waar en as dit is waar is, waar is ons grense nou eintlik? Waarin het ons ingekoop?

Blou Bulle

Thank you for the giraffe’s

I just want to thank the developer Mr Booysen for sponsoring the three giraffe’s for our estate. I am getting sick and tired of people criticising this man. He has also been an asset to the Alberton community. He is just a normal guy in business.

Regards

Mrs Zeely



I have publish just for you a beautiful picture of the giraffe on our website. I also want to say thank you to Mr Booysen for donating these wonderful creatures to our estate.

Ciarra

Strange voting regulation

For a start why was it necessary at the vote counting for the developer to cast his extra votes at the vote counting office, and why was this not all explained to us at the beginning. Most likely because this is a contentious subject. Never have I heard of an election whereby this happens. Some of us are new to the estate. Of the fifteen nominees available for democratic election we had to choose seven. Some of these I believe have been for ever or were previous board members. I think there were only three new-blood elected trustees. Out of thirteen how strange?

On another point regarding proxy votes I have also never heard of people canvassing for proxy votes. May I suggested that in the future any member who is unable to attend an AGM and wishes to give their votes to a proxy, that this is limited to 2 proxy votes per attendee. For example, Joe Soap gets 30 proxy voting rights and wishes to vote for himself as a board member, he will do so.

With the estate expanding we will never achieve the percentage required to prevent the unreasonable hold that the developer has with his voting rights.

Any clues?

Gato

Time will tell

I wish to congratulate all the new board members but obviously not to those directors who are purely "pals" or "business associates" of the developer. How undemocratic!

Congratulations to the organisers for running a far less chaotic AGM this year.

We all hope that the new blood will be able to stand up to the domineering tactics of the guys that have been there forever.

The transparency that we all want should come from the new comers, if they walk the walk like they talk the talk. Only time will tell.

Cheers

Spiro

Congratulations to the new board members

Please forgive me not attending to the blog as I was out of town on unplanned business. I even missed the AGM which I really wanted not to. This is always an interesting event.

There is quite a bit of post which I will try and fit in over the next few days in between kids, cooking and work.

I just want to use this opportunity to congratulate all the newly elected board members and hope that this year would be a successful one for you all.

I have asked someone to take photos of the new board members and I will change the website accordingly.

I also just want to remind the Erasmus family to forward me their photos and information as they are our "Your next" family on the website.

Speak to you later

Ciarra