SHELLEY POINT NEWS
A community newsletter dedicated to fostering a sense of community and the free flow of information at Shelley Point
March 2019
FROM THE EDITOR: Hi All, Hard to believe, but this month Shelley Point News is three years old! At the time of starting the newsletter, I was informed by a homeowner that I would never be able to keep it going and maintain interest as there is simply not enough news for such a quiet little place. Well, our SPN team certainly proved the naysayers wrong! Often, we find ourselves having to reduce the amount of copy as there is simply too much. So, our newsletter has certainly come a long way and judging from the enthusiastic response we have received from our homeowners, we are confident that it is continuing to keep you informed and updated. However, as always, your feedback is most welcome and we are open to all your suggestions and comments. So, please keep your emails coming! Have a wonderful month and for those of you who set New Years’ Resolutions, I hope that you are still on track with them and well on your way to successfully achieving your goals. Terry - shelleypointnews@gmail.com FROM THE CHAIRMAN: Updates regarding the current difficulties between the Developer and the elected trustees of the SPHOA will be regularly provided to all members separately from the Newsletter. HOMEOWNERS HAVE THEIR SAY: Donation of food for Stompneus Dogs: Erna, who helps to feed stray and neglected dogs in Stompneus Bay, recently received a box of dog food which was donated by the various homeowners who attended the ‘Carols at the Lighthouse’ held on 19 December. She had this to say... ‘I would like to thank everyone involved with donating dog food. We really appreciate it and will put it to good use.’ Letter of concern: The following letter was received from Johnny Sloane, who requested it be published in the newsletter (the original is in the Afrikaans edition. This is a translated version by Yvonne Collett). Johnny writes… I have lived in Shelley Point for the past 20 years and have experienced every high and low point of its development.
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Recently I have noticed how the number of “For Sale” signs have increased. Practically every second property is on the market and a visit to the Internet confirmed my observation. During last December, an erf fetched only R100k on an open auction whereas it was purchased for R400k about 6 years ago. I personally bought two erven at online auctions for less than R100k. Everything therefore, points to the fact that our property values have decreased by about 75%. I think there could arguably be three reasons for this. Firstly, the national economy is under pressure. Share investments and interest income is weak. Even people who were previously financially able to retire and invest here have had to tighten the purse strings. Secondly, due to the serious drought experienced by our water-scarce West Coast, the palm trees, road island lawns and gardens have dried up and look pitiful. The sewage purification plant proposed by the Municipality to supply us with grey water, is a ten-year-old promise which will probably take another ten years to materialize. The re-commissioning of the desalination plant should have been completed in October 2018. My observation is that it will remain a dream by October 2019. About 2 weeks before the AGM, I received the Agenda and other documents regarding it. It was then that I first became aware of the proposed new golf clubhouse and community center for which we would be required to vote. The acceptance of the proposal, with accompanied R3 000.00 levy, over and above the normal annual increase, I had to grudgingly accept. I would have thought that such a contentious subject would first have been debated before I cast my vote. An AGM is not a suitable occasion. According to the SPHOA Constitution, the home owners only get the casting vote after 90% of the properties had been deregistered from the developer’s name. This has not yet happened and it appears that we will be making a capital investment on property over which we do not have the controlling vote on the Board of Trustees or at the AGM. Wasn’t the decision premature and risky? Possibly because there are presently only about 80 people involved with sport and other social activities, in my opinion space that can be used for those already exits. Am I the only fool who has examined and understood this matter? I feel disillusioned and cheated – I need some help!!! The Chairman responds: Thanks for your letter and the concerns you have expressed. The issues you raise are complex and while I attempt to address them here, I am happy to engage with you in discussing them in more depth and detail. With respect to the number of properties for sale and their values, I submit that this applies to vacant erven and NOT too established residences. A quick drive around St Helena Bay and surrounds will reveal the HUGE oversupply of residential erven in the area. I believe that the oversupply of vacant stands in the area is responsible for the fall in the prices and not structural weakness of Shelley Point as an investment destination. Values of established residences at Shelley Point have appreciated in line with the market over the past five years and over the past two years a record number of residences have been built on the estate. Water is indeed a significant problem for us and will remain so for the foreseeable future. The proposed new wastewater treatment plant at Duiker Eiland will not be developed for at least a further five years and we need to make peace with that fact. The recommissioning of the Shelley Point desalination plant is an ongoing project and we have received repeated assurances from the municipality that the project enjoys priority status. We simply do not have any viable options open to us with respect to water availability for
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non-essentials such as watering lawns etc. The trustees will be looking at options available to improve the attractiveness of the median strip along Golden Mile Boulevard because, as you say, it is not looking good after the drought. Regarding the proposed construction of a Recreation Center which was discussed at the AGM and adopted by the members, I would like to point out that the issue had been raised in several issues of Shelley Point News in 2018 and all association members should have been aware that this project was being discussed. As it happens, while the proposal to build a recreation center was indeed adopted, there are still steps the trustees will need to take before any final decision is taken regarding the scope of the project and its funding. Before any final commitment is made, a fully detailed project proposal will need to be developed and presented to the membership for discussion and input before a “Special General Meeting” is called to finally ratify the project and approve funding. There will thus still be plenty of time and opportunity for input by members. Progress with hotel: Bradley writes: ‘I am a landowner in Shelley Point and although we haven’t built any property on the land (yet!), we always enjoyed visiting the area while staying over at the hotel. So, when I read the newsletters, I always hope to hear that the hotel has opened again as we were quite fond of it. However, there hasn’t been any news about the hotel recently and I was wondering about its future in the area? Also, I remember some talk about a new waterfront development? May I suggest mentioning any new developments at Shelley Point as it may spark renewed interest in visiting the area. (The Editor replies...The hotel has finally opened! Please see details on page 9. We have heard nothing further regarding the building of a waterfront bar. There are, however, numerous rumours circulating that a casino will be built in the hotel but to date, we have been unable to substantiate any of this. As always, we will inform the homeowners as soon as any further information is forthcoming). UPDATE FROM THE SHELLEY POINT BOARD OF TRUSTEES: No feedback available SECURITY REPORT (Daniel Plaatjies): • Incidents: Three incidents occurred over the past two months that are of concern. The first incident occurred on New Year’s Eve when despite our previous communication to all homeowners and visitors to refrain from setting off fireworks within the Estate, the rule and law was still grossly violated - mainly by visitors but sadly, also by residents. Although it was difficult to pinpoint where the fireworks were set off on the estate, some of the perpetrators were identified and action was taken. The other two incidents were related to functions at private residences. In the one case, a guest had allowed friends to stop over following a wedding. This resulted in large numbers of people at one location with resultant problems regarding parking. However, it was commendable that despite the large number of people present, the noise was kept to acceptable levels. On a positive note, we can report that during December and January no serious criminal incidents were reported. However, minor incidents that were reported included the following - damage to a lamp post/street light in 12th street (driver lost control over his vehicle), vandalism of street lights in 22nd street, trespassing in 4th Avenue and a missing flagstick on one of the greens.
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Get to know the security team: Security is our top priority and we are therefore constantly challenged to put measures in place to ensure the safety or our residents. It really helps if homeowners know our security staff and their various responsibilities. As such, we would like to introduce to you the security team who are tasked daily with your safety and protection. o Senior Guards: Donevan Jacobs, Brehm Fortuin, Johannesburg Farmer o Access Control and Patrol: Liesel Talmakkies, Ilse Lawrence, Alta Loock, Willempie Engelbrecht, Sindi Mbenzi, Thomas van Zyl, Thandi Xamfu, Roland Nel, Ntombi Hlezuphondo, Shile Magidigidi, Annalise van Rooyen, Bulelani Sikeyi, Wouter van Wyk, Nceba Blayi, Gavern Talmakkies. Security Projects: Biometric fingerprint devices for residents only will be installed at the entrance and exit areas of the New Gate. Spotlights were recently installed at the perimeter fence which has vastly improved surveillance in areas which are difficult to patrol. Alarm Systems: The benefits of an alarm system cannot be underestimated. Apart from the obvious safety and security benefits, the installation of an alarm can also prevent financial losses during power outages or electrical problems in the area. Several homeowners can attest to this after returning home to find a freezer full of rotting meat. If you have an alarm system, the control room will immediately receive a signal in cases of power failures, low batteries etc and can then contact the homeowner accordingly. If you are interested in installing an alarm system at your home, contact Kenneth from Excellerate Security at 082 291 5044 for a quotation.
LEAPFROG PROPERTIES PHOTO OF THE MONTH: We are very pleased to announce the winners for the Leapfrog Properties Photo of the Year based entirely on votes received from homeowners and permanent residents. The photo which received the most votes (by a substantial majority) was Photo J, Rolling Wave, submitted by Alex. Congratulations, Alex - you win R500 courtesy of Maurits Marnewick of Leapfrog Properties.
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In second place, and receiving a cash prize of R250 was Photo L, Let the sky fall, submitted by Jennifer.
And the photo receiving the third highest number of votes and receiving a cash prize of R150 was Photo C, Johan B, submitted by Ian. This cash prize will be donated to a charity of Johan’s choosing.
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The lucky draw prize of R100 drawn from the names of all those people who submitted their votes was Sue (no surname given- email address in name of suziq). All prizewinners should contact Maurits on maurits.marnewick@leapfrog.co.za to make arrangements to collect their prizes. (As a matter of interest, the photo receiving the fourth highest number of votes was After the Rain by Luc.) Please note that the staff of Leapfrog Properties and Shelley Point News had no influence whatsoever in the outcome of the competition- this was based entirely on votes received by residents and homeowners. All votes received are available for inspection should anyone be interested. A big thank you to all our photographers who submitted photos during 2018. I think we can all agree that the standard of photography was exceptional. Thanks too to all the homeowners who sent in their votes. And with the 2018 competition a thing of the past, we are now pleased to announce that entries are now open for the 2019 Leapfrog Properties Photo Competition. Maurits Marnewick and Leapfrog Properties have kindly agreed to continue the competition for 2019. So, get those cameras clicking and send in your photos for consideration. One photo will be chosen as Photo of the Month and then these will all be entered in the Photo of the Year Competition. The only rule is that the photos need to depict some aspect of Shelley Point – landscapes, seascapes, fauna, flora, people, pets, homes, whatever. Entries can be sent to shelleypointnews@gmail.com And to kick start our competition for 2019, here follows the winners for February and March respectively. Our February winner, was submitted by Ian and is entitled Kitesurfing in Britannia Bay
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Our March winner is Marieta with her photo entitled Beached Bluebottle.
SPORT AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES:
The first Sundowner evening of the year, a Games Night, was held on Friday 25 January but was poorly attended (maybe everyone was still feeling the effects of the festive season). But those that did attend, had a very entertaining evening. One group challenged one another to a game of Catch Phrase and as the hilarity heightened and the tension mounted, more and more spectators gathered around to watch and offer advice. It was a great brain teaser and proceedings became more animated and vocal as the evening wore on. All in all, a very good time was had by everyone who attended. So, if you missed out, be sure to attend the next one on 29 March and be part of the Shelley Point Social community.
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Golf: (Johan Louw): The Golfing Section held the Annual General Meeting at the Clubhouse on 15 February 2019. During 2018, the membership support was not as strong as it could have been, however the AGM was well attended with 30 members present, 12 proxy forms being submitted and 9 apologies were received. The meeting started with a slightly negative mood but ended with a much more positive attitude and it is believed that the newly elected committee will receive much stronger support during 2019. The new committee is as follows; Captain: Johan Blaauw Vice-Captain: Doug Jones Section Secretary: Hilton Sharp Committee members: Anne Ainsworth and John Huxted We wish the new committee strength and support from all members of the golf section. Bowls (Liz Roberts): We are now back in the swing of things after the holidays and plenty of bowls is being played despite soaring temperatures and gusting winds. Membership is now up to 28 members – an especially warm welcome to our new members and to the guests who often join us. The competitive nature of the game keeps us all on our toes as we try and outdo each other on the green. The greens are looking 100% better compared to this time last year so there are no excuses for playing badly. We have managed to procure a refrigerator for the bowls clubhouse so players are now able to purchase soft drinks and water to keep hydrated while playing. Lastly, if anyone has spare bowls they would like to part with – particularly small sizes for ladies (00, 0,1 or 2), please contact me on my email at chezroberts@mweb.co.za. Hope to see you on the green on Tuesdays and Fridays. Till next time...keep rolling! Tennis: Robert Dick is now the new tennis captain having taken over from Niel du Toit. For any queries or information pertaining to tennis at Shelley Point, please get in touch with Robert – contact details in the directory on the last page. Bridge (Terry Mackintosh): The 2019 Duplicate Bridge Tournament Series kicked off on Wednesday 6 February and was attended by several locals as well as players from Langebaan, Darling, Saldanha Bay, Port Owen, Velddrif and Laaiplek. The Tournament Series will take place on the first Wednesday of every month. Regular social bridge continues to be available on all other Wednesday afternoons and is open to all – beginners and experts! For more information, email Terry on didge28@gmail.com LIFE AT SHELLEY POINT: Rainfall statistics at Shelley Point: Despite it being hot and dry as usual over January and February, we still managed to get a few millimeters of rain during the first six weeks of 2019. According to our local recorder, Henri, we received a total of 5.5 mm up to mid-February. Let’s all keep fingers crossed for a really wet season this year! Shelley Point Social WhatsApp Group (MOB): Pieter Swanepoel recently created a Social WhatsApp group for all interested homeowners, residents and other members of the community. It is a forum whereby you can exchange anything of interest – news, photos, advertisements and anything else that you think may be of value or of interest to anyone living in the area. If you would like to be added to the group, please SMS one of the administrators- Pieter (0796072127) Charmaine (0827571761) or Hannelie (0828965491). The administrators have requested that, unless it is an emergency, NOT to post anything between 8pm and 8
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am as the constant pinging of cellphones at night can be extremely annoying to people wanting to relax or sleep. They have also requested members to refrain from posting items pertaining to politics, religion, nudity, race, etc. AND PLEASE - NO MOANING! Please note that the Shelley Point Social Group (MOB) should not be confused with the Shelley Point INFO group which is administered by Karen (0828230919) and Karin (0822158423. This group is solely for disseminating useful and up-to-date information to share with other homeowners, permanent residents and long-term renters. It is not a forum for advertising, social chit chat, people bashing or political and religious comments. So, bottom line, use INFO for information and MOB for social commentary. And finally, a big thank you to all the above-mentioned Shelley Pointers responsible for administering and managing these sites and keeping us all informed and entertained. The Shelley Point Hotel and Spa is finally open! The newly renovated luxury hotel opened its doors to the public on 7 February. There are also two restaurants to choose from. Upstairs is the Cattle Baron Steakhouse which is open from 12 noon to 10pm each day while downstairs is Dorothea’s Restaurant & Lounge which is situated around a beautiful Koi pond and is open every day from 10am to 7 pm. What’s On in and around Shelley Point: Looking for something to do with guests or when visiting the area? Here are some ideas of what’s on during March. o
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28 February-3 March: Jazz on the Rocks in Tietiesbaai. Come along and chill to the sounds of some amazing music. 9-10 March: Cansa Relay for Life in Vredenburg. This years’ theme is ‘Carnival’. For more details, visit their website www.relayforlife.org.za
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23 March: Langebaan Country Estate Marathon – lots of distances to choose from depending on your fitness. There is a full 42.2 km marathon, a half marathon, a 10km and a 5km fun run/walk. Visit www.weskusmarathon.co.za 30-31 March: Braai Festival at Tietiesbaai. Lots of activities on the go for both adults and children. Beer tents, stalls, games and lots more.
Big thank you to Bumblebee: You will all have noticed how clean and bright the gate entrances to Shelley Point are. This is thanks to both gates having undergone high-pressure washing by Bumblebee Home Services who offered this as a pro bono service to the Estate. If anyone would like more information on the other services they offer, feel free to contact the SOHOA office or call them on 0836517187. Winemaking at Shelley Point: Once again, there was lots of fun and laughter to be had at Maison Le Roux, the residence of Deon and Mary Le Roux, where the annual bottling of their 2018 wine and the production of the 2019 wine was in full force. As before, the Le Roux’s were assisted in this labour-intensive process by volunteers from the Shelley Point community. After all the hard work, the volunteers were all treated to a splendid lunch accompanied by Maison Le Roux wines. In addition, money was raised for the Malgarte Primary School in Stompneus Bay and used for the purchase of PE kit for the children, most of whom are unable to afford these items.
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Innovative new technology for window and solar panel cleaning now available in Shelley Point: Ladderless window and solar panel window cleaning uses the latest technology which incorporates carbon fiber and water-fed poles with filtered water. So, no scaffolding or ladders required. The system is chemical free and environmentally friendly as only pure filtered water is used for cleaning. And as far as solar panels are concerned, remember that the more frequently they are cleaned, the more energy they will provide and the more money you will save. Want to know more? For a ‘No Obligation’ quotation please contact either John on 0637628034 or Anne on 0825199438 SPCA looking for volunteers to manage their shop: The recently opened SPCA in Vredenburg would like to open a second-hand shop to help with fund raising. They desperately need someone who can assist with finding the best location for the shop and then to help with managing the store. If you can assist in any way, please contact shelleypointnews@gmail.com. The SPCA will also gratefully accept any donations of clothing, books, household goods and bric a brac. These will then be sold in the SPCA shops in Darling and Malmesbury in the meantime until the Vredenburg shop is up and running. So, if you have unused or unwanted items lying around your house gathering dust, why not pop them all in a box and drop it off at the SPCA next time you are in Vredenburg. Cat trap to be purchased: Many of the tamer feral cats have now been sterilized. However, there are still many unsterilized feral cats on the estate which are too wild and aggressive to be approached. It has therefore been decided to buy a specialized cat trap with the remaining funds in the Feral Cat coffers. The trap costs R850 plus courier fees. Since we only have R550 left in our Cat Fund, Yvonne Collett has kindly offered to make up the difference. Thank-you Yvonne! If each homeowner could fund transport and sterilization costs for just one cat, our feral cat problem will soon be a thing of the past. We strongly urge residents to put collars or ribbons on their domestic cats so that they are not mistakenly taken to Wesland Animal Hospital for sterilization. Restaurant Review (by Cheese Mouse and Wine Fly): The Mouse and Fly are back once more and this month decided to give local pizza takeaway Picapizza a try. This was their experience‌
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Pizzas are a true comfort food. Everyone has their preferred base, thick or thin, and toppings range from the sublime classic Margherita like Nona used to make to the ridiculous. Everyone has their favourite pizza restaurant be it Blikkies in Paternoster or the delicious offerings from Pearlys in Langebaan – pizzas are one of those make or break dishes. Sadly, for the take-away outlet Picapizza, even though the name conjures up a winner, it generally seems to be an anticlimax. Please accept from the outset that this is a personal opinion. There are certainly some things going for it. Situated in the same centre as the Spar, Picapizza is a take-away pizza restaurant that does seem to have outlasted some of the earlier restaurants on the premises. The front of house looks clean and organised and there are a few chairs outside where one can sit and wait. Their take-away menu is striking and there are certainly lots of options to choose from, at very reasonable prices. At R90, a large Regina seems good value. There is even a Saint Helena pizza – smoked snoek, anchovies, bokkoms, peppadews and onions – priced at R125 for the large size. When one phones to order, the waiting time is not overly excessive. They are presented in sturdy boxes with paper serviettes neatly tucked into a holder and they smell delicious. The anticipation mounts as one drives home and it is a mouth-watering rush to get them onto the table still piping hot. But then there is that awful sinking feeling in your heart (and your stomach), as you eat the first slice. It is heavy, the dough in the centre does not seem cooked through and the sense of disappointment is enormous. But in saying that, if you are stressed at the end of the week, have boisterous children that can be quietened with a slice of pizza, then give them a call. You could order, do your shopping at Spar, pick up an ice cold frostie from Tops and get home with everything ready (stress free) for an evening meal. I think it could be a hit and miss story but it is a filling, budget friendly option that should be tried once.
The Cheese Mouse and the Wine Fly VASCO SAYS:
The threat of fire is huge at present. Please do not discard cigarette butts in the bush.
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SPHOA DIRECTORY Position Estate Manager Administrator Security Manager Security Control Room Pro shop /Club house Golf captain Bowls captain Tennis captain Bridge captain Community notice board SA Police Service SA Police Service Ambulance Cell phone emergency
Name Norman Cowen Lindy Cowen Daniel Plaatjies Controllers Gerilda Arendse Johan Blaauw Liz Roberts Robert Dick Terry Mackintosh Chris Roberts St Helena Bay National National Universal
E Mail manager@sphoa.co.za admin@sphoa.co.za daniel.plaatjies@excellerate.co.za NA shelleypcc@gmail.com chezroberts@mweb.co.za robbydick0312@gmail.com didge28@gmail.com chezroberts@mweb.co.za
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Telephone 082 784 2920 022 742 1309 071 312 8861 022 742 1380 022 7421037 083 327 4349 076 6004641 076 7832035 0227368060 10111 10177 112