NATIONAL AMATEURS INVITATIONAL 2008 PRINCE’S GRANT THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE LIVED
ALL NEW UMHLOTAAN MAGAZINE : SUMMER EDITION
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RENTALS December was a successful rental season. We have had many calls from satisfied customers already waiting to book for next year. We also have some new properties in our rental portfolio. Should you wish to book early or find out more about our rental houses, call ROSANNE 083 743 1255 or email paxfam@mweb.co.za Contact LILIEN PAXTON 032 482 0005 / 082 855 1642 email: paxprop@worldonline.co.za
2008 Chairman’s Welcome
THE UMHLOTAAN Magazine of the Prince’s Grant Coastal Golf Estate Tel: 032- 482 0002/12/54 Fax: 032- 482 0013 email: reception@pghoa.co.za Open Weekdays 08h00 – 16h00 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Dave Miller (Chairman) Ivan Swaffield
DAVE MILLER | PGHOA CHAIRMAN T To o all Home and Property Owners G Greetings and best wishes for 2008. would like to thank you all for your support and encouragement on the Iw announcement of my being elected to the chair of PGHOA with Don taka n iing n up residence in the USA. W With the PG Staff and Board’s assistance I am sure that Prince’s Grant will continue to be an excellent investment with “the way life should be lived” as the driver for the way forward. Continuing sound financial policies and long term spend on infrastructure to meet the demands of growing homeowners without neglecting maintenance of existing facilities and striving to keep our golf course with a 5 star rating and top 20 position in the rankings, without exhorbitant levies will be our major challenges.
Hubert Mimm
Prince’s Grant should always be a place for friends to live and holiday with children and grandchildren – a place for family.
Paul Coningsby
With the staff and Board’s help, I will endeavor to uphold these values.
Brian Kelley Chris van der Merwe (CEO) Derek Paxton (Co- Opted member)
Best Regards, Dave Miller Chairman - PGHOA
From the CEO’s tee IMPORTANT NUMBERS Flying Squad Police Station: Ambulance: Hospital:
10111 032 551 8200 (SAPS Stg) 10177 032 437 6000 (Stanger) 032 946 6700 (Alberlito) 032 551 3413 032 437 5500 (Stanger) 032 437 9300 (Ilembe) 032 437 5019/ 81 032 482 0002 032 482 0003 083 443 3181
Fire Department: Municipality: Electricity: Water Problems: (After hours) Estate Manager:
E
STATE PRESS
ESTATE PRESS EDITORAL TEAM Justin Scott 082 256 1192 justin@estatepress.co.za Lorinda Scott 082 562 7202 lorinda@estatepress.co.za SALES Hayley Armitage 072 104 9431 hayley@estatepress.co.za PRINTING Pinetown Printers 031 701 8019
BY CHRIS VAN DER MERWE After a break of more than 12 months, we’ve managed to resurrect the “Umhlotaan”. Due to financial reasons our previous publishers had to withdraw from the magazine. At the same time we felt the magazine must be able to “fend” for itself and we did not want it to become a burden on levies. We’ve managed to find a new publisher in the name of Estate Press who is also publishing a similar magazine for Simbithi Eco Estate. Although we only anticipate 2 magazines during 2008, we will monitor the situation and as demand increases we will increase our frequency of annual editions. We hope our partnership with Estate Press will be a long and fruitful one. The Umhlotaan is a communication tool with a different slant. Unlike our Newsletter, which focuses on statistics and more current news, the purpose of the Umhlotaan is to reflect the Prince’s Grant
community. Therefore we need as many photographs of events at Prince’s Grant as we can lay our hands on. We will also gladly (always space permitting), publish interesting articles by homeowners and their experiences at Prince’s Grant. It is our desire that the Umhlotaan will continue to be a positive magazine portraying the wonderful place and ethos of Prince’s Grant. I sincerely hope every homeowner will enjoy the magazine, read it with pride and participate. One of the regular columns you will read will be that of the course manager. We are very pleased that after an extensive and thorough search to find a suitable candidate, we were able to appoint our own Allan Dalzell in the position. Alan has provided Prince’s Grant with exemplary service over many years and will continue to do so in this most challenging capacity. Homeowners who wish to make a contribution to the Umhlotaan, please contact Natasha @ 032- 482 0002. Regards Chris
SUMMER 2008
THE UMHLOTAAN
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2008 National Amateur Invitational
National Amateur 2008 BY BRENDON MAIN | GOLF DIRECTOR For the first time since the tournaments inception, The National Amateur Invitational finally received recognition from the SAGA to become part of the Amateur calendar as a points bearing tournament. Based on the Strength of the Field the tournament entered into the rankings as a 100% tournament. This is seldom achieved and last year was only achieved by the Northern Amateur. This year, the event was also increased from 54 to 72 holes with 36 holes played on the 2nd day. As is tradition, the current South African Amateur Champion, Louis de Jager, was awarded Honorary Life Membership of Prince’s Grant by our Club Founder, Guy Smith and joins a list of Honorary Life Members who include the likes of Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, Trevor Immelman & Richard Sterne, just to mention a few. Imagine taking part in a World Challenge where each club can put together a team of 4 players to represent them? I don’t think there are many clubs in the world who could boast having a team as strong as the four names just mentioned. The golf course was once again in magnificent condition and was toughened up & lengthened for the tournament. The wind also played its part and ensured that the golfers were tested to the best of their ability. Round 2 saw a magnificent tournament equaling lowest round, 66 being posted by PG van Zyl of Witbank, a record he now shares with Richard Sterne set in 2001. We were once again in for an exciting finish with Nicol van Wyk from Durbanville in the Cape already in the shower preparing his victory speech after rounds of 71,71,73 & 72 at 1 under par for the tournament. This left Johann du Buisson from Kuilsrivier who participated in his 5th National Amateur needing an eagle 3 on the par 5 18th hole to force a play off with Van Wyk. Leaving his 2nd short of the green , du Buisson then proceeded to chip his 3rd shot into the hole from 30m short of the green taking him to 1 under par for the tournament and into joint first place with Van Wyk. du Buisson then made a par at the first extra play off hole to become the 2008 Amateur Invitational Champion. The tournament was once again a great success and a great deal of this success is due to our sponsor, Standard Bank. 4
THE UMHLOTAAN
SUMMER 2008
Full Results for this tournament is available on the Prince’s Grant Website
Tournament Moments
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4
5
6
8
12
9
7
10
13
16
3
2
11
14
17
15
18
19
1 - A de Decker, e Makanga, Pg van Zyl, M Edwards , 2 - A Russel, G Scott, R de Bruyn, A Dougall, 3 - caddies, 4 -Chris Erasmus, Lyle Rowe, Christiaan vd Merwe, 5 - D Emmerich, Guy Smith, 6 - D Ferreira, I Swaffield, D Docherty, K de Kock, 7 - D O’ Riley, N Makanga, D van Niekerk, B Dixon, 8 - D Pearse, G Taylor, JG Claasen, R Forster, 9 - D Smit, I Khan, R de Beer, Y Omar, 10 - Dylan Docherty, Jared Harvey, JG Claasen, 11 - E Matthews, N Reilly, D Myburgh, R Lilikant, 12 - Frans Strauss, Leon Naicker & Brendon Main, 13 - G Hedley, A forbes, J Turner, D Starkey, 14 - Giles Hedley, Phillip Gerber, Pieter Rademan, 15 - J de Beer, N Taylor, D McMinn, C Murphy, 16 - Ivan Swaffield & Derek Kimber, 17 - Nicol van Wyk & Derek Kimber of Std Bank 2nd Prize, 18 - Prizegiving and 19 - Derek Kimber & Johann du Buisson (Winner) SUMMER 2008
THE UMHLOTAAN
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Convenience! NEBS BUILD IT
6
THE UMHLOTAAN
SUMMER 2008
Bat Facts mosquitoes and coddling moth, a major problem in wheat farming areas. The spraying of these crops has a direct impact on the bats feeding on the insects in the area. Secondary poisoning and a decreased availability of food being the main concerns.
There are many misconceptions about bats. For example, bats are not blind, they have excellent eye sight. Bats will not nibble your ears at night nor get entangled in your hair. While some bats do carry rabies, this percentage is small and you stand more chance of getting rabies from your dog than from a bat!! Bats have a crucial role to play in the ecosystem. Fruit eating bats are the natural pollinators of the sausage and baobab tree and also play a role in the pollination of commercially important plants such as mangos, figs and avocados. Insect eating bats eat a variety of insects including
Firstly, establish that they are actually bats. You might have bats roosting in a tree near the house and have rats in the roof – suitable products such as Racumin can then be used. Then, if they are bats, determine where the bats are going in and out of the roof – there may be more than one hole. Seal up all but one hole. Hang a cloth (a dishcloth is suitable) over the one remaining hole. This allows the bats to fly out but not get back into the roof. (The function of the cloth can be compared to a non-return valve). Leave this up for a day or two to ensure all the bats are out and then seal the remaining hole. For thatch roofs or roofs with uneven surfaces, the expanding spray foam which hardens is a convenient option to use for filling in holes. Bats are able to get into holes the size of your little finger so make sure ALL the holes are filled in.
There is little to no protective legislation for bats in South Africa. Currently, only two species are formally protected, despite 10 species being listed as threatened with extinction in South Africa’s National Red Data Book; the Short-eared Trident Bat (Cleotis percivali) and Rendall’s Serotine Bat (Neoromicia rendalli) both being listed as Critically Endangered. Despite the advantages of having bats around, they are still considered a pest species by many people, especially homeowners, as they can be noisy and their faeces and urine can stain walls and floors and create an unpleasant odour. As a result, members of the public sometimes want bats removed from their properties and may take matters into their own hands, often with disastrous results. There are no poisons registered for use against bats in South Africa. Therefore, the use of any poison, Jeys Fluid, Chlorine or other substance, is illegal and can result in a fine or even a jail sentence. The use of these substances is also cruel and unnecessary.Should you have bats in your roof, there are other ways to get rid of them.
Most people don’t want to get rid of the bats, just to have them out the house. The use of bat houses is encouraged and these can either be purchased or built. Bat Conservation International’s website (www.batcon.org) is very interesting and well worth consulting should you wish to put up a bat house. Alternatively, contact the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Bat Conservation Group for more info. Regards CLAIRE PATTERSON-ABROLAT Manager: Bat Conservation Group Endangered Wildlife Trust
KZN OPEN MIXED CIRCUIT SCHEDULE 2008 Date
Host Club
Contact for bookings
January
27th
Durban Country Club
Pro Shop
031 313 1777
February
10th
Kloof Country Club
Pro Shop
031 764 1492
17th
Durban Country Club
Pro Shop
031 313 1777
24th
Zimbali Country Club
Pro Shop
032 538 1041 opt 1
March
16th
Mount Edgecombe Country Club
Pro Shop
031 502 1010
30th
Umhlali Country Club
Bookings
032 947 1181
April
13th
Prince’s Grant
Pro Shop
032 482 0041
May
25th
Durban Country Club (Beachwood)
Pro Shop
031 564 4257
June
8th
Durban Country Club (Beachwood)
Pro Shop
031 564 4257
15th
Royal Durban Golf Club
Bookings
031 309 1530
22nd
Kloof Country Club
Pro Shop
031 764 1492
13th
Umhlali Country Club
Bookings
032 947 1181
20th
Prince’s Grant
Pro Shop
032 482 0041
7th
Zimbali Country Club
Pro Shop
032 538 1041 opt 1
14th
Prince’s Grant
Pro Shop
032 482 0041
5th
Mount Edgecombe Country Club
Pro Shop
031 502 1010
12th
Royal Durban Golf Club
Bookings
031 309 1530
July September October
26th
Kloof Country Club
Pro Shop
031 764 1492
November
9th
Umhlali Country Club
Bookings
032 947 1181
December
7th
Kloof Country Club
Pro Shop
031 764 1492
Pro Shop
031 716 8184
3rd Sunday of each month - Cotsworld Down (golf carts mandatory)
The KZN Open Mixed Circuit, held on Sunday afternoons, is open to all clubs and affiliated players in the province. Each Tournament, run by the host Club, will normally be an Alliance (2 ladies, 2 men) . The tournament fee charged by each Club will include green and competition fees plus a light supper. Fees will be in the region of R170200 per player, plus extra charges where golf carts are mandatory (+/- R240). Bookings will open 2 weeks before each Tournament.
SUMMER 2008
THE UMHLOTAAN
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Prince’s Grant News
December 2007
This festive season was yet another fun filled one for the PG kids as well some of the not so young folk. There were a number of activities and games planned to entertain the kids. The program was co-ordinated by Devona with assistance from Jamie and Sophie. At times the program also became a baby sitting service where parents left their children with the program co-ordinators when they wanted to do shopping, play golf, etc. Some of the fun and games activities included the following: Puppet shows Clown shows Arts and crafts Treasure Hunts Face painting Jumping castle Xmas tree decorating Poster making Carol singing Junior Golf (run by Frans Strauss) The highlight of the whole program was when Santa visited PG on 21 December to hand out some goody bags to all the children. This was thoroughly enjoyed by all. Please note that we welcome any feedback and suggestions that you may have for this year’s program. It would certainly help us to know what you as parents and kids would like to do during the holidays.
Junior Fun in the Sun! Yes it was that time of the year that all kiddies could not wait for the schools to close and Santa to drop of some presents! While all staff waited for the rush and we prepared for all members and visitors to come to Prince’s Grant, I could not help myself but think of my little golfing buddies that were coming to Prince’s Grant. It is such an honour to be able to work with kids and see how they improve and develop each year! I saw a whole lot of new faces this year as well as all my old golfing buddies. What amazed me was to see how young the kids start to play and take it seriously. It was brilliant to also see all the girls who joined the program this year (boys you better start to practice hard because these little girls are out there to whip you). I would like to thank all the parents who trusted me with all their kids and all their involvement with the programme. Congratulations to Robbie Starkey who won the putting competition! (It shows you do not need to be big to win) and also to Johan that sunk the longest putt! I hope to see you all back at Prince’s Grant soon and all the best for school in 2008!!
A Near Tragic Incident This is to advertise that we experienced an unfortunate incident on our beach on the 08 January 2008 which almost culminated in loss of life. At approximately 10:00am on this morning, a father and his two daughters were caught in a side trip on our main beach. Another bather, sensing the danger attempted to assist but was also soon in difficulty. Fortunately Grant Poppesque, a shareholder of a unit in Sandhills Road was on the beach and together with other bathers managed to rescue all those involved. Frans Strauss happened to be coaching at the range at the time and Ivan Swaffield (Club Captain and Board Member) happened to be practising when the call came through, via the lodge, of the scene unfolding on the beach. When Frans and Ivan arrived at the beach, both male bathers were semi- conscious, Ivan applied CPR to the one requiring the most attention for about four minutes before he gained consciousness. The other was breathing steadily but obviously in shock. M.R.S. (Paramedics) were on the scene in about twenty minutes.
We hope that you enjoyed our holiday program and look forward to seeing you again this year!
Both patients were taken to Alberlito Hospital with Frans following, with the respective wives. The children, in the meantime, were cared for by Grant Poppesque and his wife.
Santa visited PG on 21 December to hand out some goody bags
Fortunately both patients have recovered fully.
KIDS HIGHLIGHT
This is another reminder that the sea is extremely dangerous and as the beach at Prince’s Grant is unprotected, homeowners and their guests must apply extreme caution before entering the sea.
SUMMER 2008
THE UMHLOTAAN
9
Lady Captain’s Report We all got two attempts at the putting competition, sponsored by The Golf Resorts Club, which was deservedly won by one of my playing partners, not only did she get a 30 footer in on her first attempt but succeeded in sinking her second from another couple of feet back. I couldn’t resist telling her that we might have been in the prizes had she putted like that out on the course!!!
AN INTERESTING DAY OF GOLF Droves of smartly clad ladies descended on Prince’s Grant early on the morning of Thursday 3 May to participate in our annual Ladies Open Day. The day dawned bright and clear with a warm breeze blowing from the coast. Tea/coffee donated by Derek at The Lodge and tasty muffins kindly donated by some of our non golfing and golfing members were laid on for all to enjoy. Captain Zee (aka on the day as Ivana), Pete Naylor (aka Petra) and Geoffrey Taylor (aka Gertrude) cheerfully registered all the golfers and thanks to Cathy and Valdo for seeing them all off on time – not an easy feat with the amount of cackling that was going on. Many ladies come from the far reaches of KZN to participate in what is becoming a must play on the Ladies Open Day Calendar. We were sorry not to have the Umhlali or Kloof ladies as they had league fixtures that day. Water donated by Mansfield Water and Energy bars donated by Pick ‘n’ Pay, Ballito were handed to each player with the warning to watch out for our resident monkeys, past masters at foraging for food on the buggies.
visitors to experience the view and Wendy & Shirley from Pam Golding tell me that the vast majority of women hit the fairway (which is a lot more than I can say for some of the men out there). The Pam Golding team also did a great job handing out a strong new cider from SAB for all to sample (I have it on good authority that the team called the Ugly Ducklings – photo attached copped a couple of bottles each they were sooo thirsty!).
The course was in great nick and hats off to Garth and his team – there were complaints from the odd lady about the position of some of the tees (but sure isn’t it the same for all of us) – especially the 15th where we teed off from the men’s tee at the top – nice for the
Anyway, despite the poor golf from my team we enjoyed ourselves and it was a pleasure playing with Sanmarie Steward who flew down with Lesley Copeman, of Women’s World Cup of Golf fame, especially for our golf day.
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THE UMHLOTAAN
SUMMER 2008
The golf over, ladies showered and a most splendid lunch later, thanks to Althea and her team at The Lodge, and we were regaled by Lesley with stories about her experiences at Women’s World Cup of Golf and the current status of women’s golf in South Africa. Those of us who haven’t been to one of the events were all advised to get ourselves up to the next one or two as after that it will be moving to a venue outside South Africa. They say it’s a spectacular few days of golf. Nancy Taylor from the Bra Boutique sponsored spot prizes for various items of undergarments from bras to g-strings which went down rather well and gave us all a great laugh. She was available to measure correctly anybody who needed it and a few stepped up to take advantage of the offer. The prize table was heavily laden, thanks to all our sponsors listed below and all the winners seemed to be fairly chuffed with their prizes. The Ugly Ducklings a motley crew that included Christina van de Merwe (representing PGHOA) played a blinder off the blue tees and certainly turned a few heads with the size of their bosoms – no falling flat on their faces and Nancy from Bra Boutique even complemented them on how well propped up they seemed to be. I think that they may now appreciate what some of the well endowed women have to put up with trying to get the arc in the swing right. Thanks guys for entering into the spirit of the day and looking like a bunch of yahoos. You were brilliant and oh so gorgeous. All that was left was the raffle for a few items including a 2 night stay at The Lodge which was won by one of our resi-
Lady Captain’s Report dents, Judy Horton. Good on ye Judy. A few fillet steaks sponsored by another owner, Alan Bailey, were also well received. The days proceedings ended and the ladies headed off home all with the express promise that we will see them again next year which must mean it was a success. I must thank all the players who participated and made the day special, Brendon and his team in the Pro Shop for their help in the run up to the day (you’d be surprised how much organization goes into a day like this) the many prize sponsors and our three major sponsors for the day for their generous cash donations, The Golf Resorts Club, Independent Bond Originators SA and Pam Golding Properties. The following benefited
from the funds we raised, the Stanger Training Centre, the under 15 football side, Zaman Madrid, got jerseys, shorts and socks with the PG logo on and the balance of the funds went to purchasing recycling bins/buckets which most of you will no doubt have made very good use of over the Christmas period!
60 players for our first one which was a great turnout and the visitors certainly enjoyed their day out and indicated that they will be back again for the next one which is on 13 April 2008. So please invite friends from other clubs to join you for a great day out.
Mixed Matchplay Another day to remember! We had our first Mixed Open on Sunday 2 December as part of the KZN Open Mixed Circuit, which has been set up to essentially to get mixed fields on Sunday afternoons to play at various clubs in the KZN region.
Congratulations to Alistair and Marilyn Forbes for winning the 2007 trophy. There was great camaraderie around this event and even though the competition is fierce the spirit of golf prevails and the opponents enjoy a jar or two in Mulligans after each game.
There is one on most Sundays and you are very welcome to go along and participate. The rates are good and there is a good vibe after the game. We had
The first round of the 2008 competition has already been played. Good luck to those left in the event and may the best team win!
29 years of the Biggest Range of the Best Brands at the Best Prices!
1 Wimble Close Ballito 032 946 7400 Allan Hirsch SUMMER 2008
THE UMHLOTAAN
11
Nature at Prince’s Grant Although more abundant in winter they are residents throughout the year over much of their range, however the bird guides state that they are normally absent during the hot summer breeding months. Thus they have not been recorded as a breeding specie in KwaZulu-Natal, but the birds do not adhere to the ranges, so when you see a few of them in the hot summer months, start looking for tunnels in sand banks where they burrow fairly deep nests and raise their families. In order to raise their families they often employ the help of another bird or two. When seen during the day they are normally alone or in pairs but they will gather in larger flocks at sunset to roost communally. When feeding the birds normally use the same roost and they sail out to catch flying insects and then return to the same roost to eat their prey. They feed almost exclusively on flying insects and will often catch these over water when roosting near a river or stream.
WHITE FRONTED
BEE EATER
Bing Comrie
Prince’s Grant is extremely well situated as the estate is at the extreme southern end of this beautiful birds range. Although they may be seen further south they are an extreme rarity between Blythedale Beach and Durban and are very seldom seen further south. It is always difficult to make categorical statements about the range of bird species as they would not appear to read the maps in bird books and are sometimes seen where they do not supposedly occur.
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THE UMHLOTAAN
SUMMER 2008
This was particularly borne out when a few years ago we were visiting Weenen Game Reserve on a birding trip and we had to go into the town of Weenen. When we were driving up the road I heard the unmistakeable nasal weep call of the White-fronted Bee-eater. Sure enough, there one was sitting on the telephone lines. The White-fronted Bee-eater is one of the more striking bee-eaters, with its green back, russet breast and belly, white around the beak, with a red band below the white on the throat and just to add to the colour scheme they have rich blue undertail coverts. Although not the largest bee-eater they are considerably larger than the more common Little Bee-eater. They are not very shy and if approached fairly carefully will continue to feed from their perch, allowing you to get fairly close for a really good look at this colourful bird.
This is a good place to catch insects as they are far from cover over the water and can’t rush for cover at the last minute. This is also why they normally feed over open grasslands, such as golf fairways. In order to see their prey the birds sit on a prominent perch near open spaces and launch their attacks on their prey repeatedly through the day. When they return to the communal roost I am sure that the birds look at each other to establish who has the largest crop and thus has fed the best that day. This probably leads to more competition for the better feeding sites. As usual with birds there is much that is not known about the behaviour of these birds and any interesting observations should be forwarded to me or some other interested person for analysis and comment. This will help us all to understand birds better and to share in the joy of learning about them. When you are not having a good day on the golf course it is amazing how looking at the birds around the course can remove the aggravation and refresh your concentration.
Peterson Properties
LOT 63 OVERLOOKING THE 16TH GREEN
BARGAIN BUY LEVEL LOT SITUATED LOOKING OVER THE 18TH GREEN R650 000 Telephone +27 32 482 0008 Fax +27 32 482 0008 Cell +27 82 560 8570 Postal PO Box 26, Kwadukuza, 4450 Email mart4@mweb.co.za
Festive Season at the Lodge BY DEREK PAXTON
We W ew would ou uld ld llike ike to ik to tthank ha h an nkk a allllll h homeowners ome omeo om eo ow wn ner ner ers fo ffor or thei ttheir th heir eir su ei ssupport supp uppor ppo pp orrt o ov over ver er tthe he he pa p ast st yyear ear an ea a nd w wi ish sh e eve very ve very yo ne a he h e vvery eryy be er b est st ffor or 2 or 200 00 0 08 w wh hic ich past and wish every one alllll tthe best 2008 which alre lready ad dy promises prromiisess to to be be a cchallenging hallllen hall engi ging ing year. yea earr already The weather over the last two weeks in December was by far the best we have ever had, lovely sunny days, no rain and more importantly very little wind. Althea and Adilson will be getting married in April; we would like to wish them a very happy future together. We kicked off the festive season with a cheese and wine evening in the conference centre, a number of our Estate artists exhibited their work which was enjoyed by all. The start of the Easter season will be a whiskey tasting, higher octane. The festive season was quieter than 2006, this despite the fact that there are a number of new houses on the Estate and most were occupied over the holidays. The Lodge occupancy was 65% much the same as last year. The amount of meals from a golf and daily visitor view point was 10% less than the previous year. We operated with a limited menu between 16 December and 6 January in an effort to limit service related problems, this worked well with few problems being experienced. The heat in halfway is a problem, we are in the process of upgrading the fridge facilities in addition to installing fans with a view in trying to cool the area. The coffee shop was operational but not well supported. People obviously preferred The Lodge for meals and as a meeting place. We had three additional outlets over the holidays; by far the most popular was the “drinks cart” on the golf course. We will continue with the beach and swimming pool outlets in future. The two separate functions on New Year’s Eve were fairly well supported. We will be meeting shortly to discuss the plan for next Christmas and will improve on this year. We wish Brendon and his family all the every best with their new venture in East London and thank him for all his help and support during his time with us.
To advertise in The Umhlotaan Magazine call Hayley on 072 104 9431 or email hayley@estatepress.co.za 14
THE UMHLOTAAN
SUMMER 2008
Report from the Course Manager BY ALAN I started working at Prince’s Grant in August 2001 as a mechanic/ workshop manager for Peter Matkovich, as Matkovich and Hayes maintained the golf course at that time. This contract expired in 2002, and the Prince’s Grant Board of Directors decided to purchase the golf course equipment and take over all the staff and do the course in-house. Thank the Lord I did not have to move as I really liked coming to work here at Prince’s Grant (and that’s the truth)!! During the last six years I have seen
the entire estate grow from strength to strength, and the course move in to the top 20 in the country.
staff by dividing them in a front nine group under the leadership of Albert Biyela and a back nine group under the leadership of Billy Woods. This change together with the assistance from our consultants and students will hopefully bear fruit for the condition of the golf course. Enjoy your golf. Alan
I have been lucky enough to have our CEO, Chris van der Merwe, and the Board of Directors place their trust in me to promote me to Course Manager. This can be, and very often is, a difficult job! I will, however, endeavor to maintain and hopefully improve the stunning condition the CHRIS course is in at the moment. Everyone can be rest assured that I will always do my best. In respect of our immediate plans for the future, we’ve decided to restructure our course
GREEN
PLUMBING 082 490 7451 SERVICING PRINCES’ GRANT SINCE 1996
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Kevin | Waiter
Been Working at I was born in In my free time Favorite meal Favorite movie Favorite City/ Place South Africa is 10 years from now
Grant since 2006 New Guelderland, Stanger I love art – pastel shading and music Seafood cuisine Ghost Mauritius A very beautiful country that is very quickly crumbling... Waking up in the morning with a smile on your face
Sifiso Nyawo | Tree House Foreman
Been working at I was born in Favorite meal Favorite movie Favorite City/Place South Africa is Happiness is 10 years from now
A
wonderful coutry to live in but the government must do something about the crime
Prince’s Grant since 14th February 2003 Stewarts Estate, New Guelderland Watch movies, shopping, love going out and going to the gym Anything in seafood Stomp the Yard Pietermaritzburg becoming like Zimbabwe boss of my own
Michelle Mekrai | Receptionist @ the Lodge
Been Working at Prince’s I was born in In my free time Favorite meal Favorite movie Favorite City/ Place South Africa is Happiness is
South Africa is...
Prince’s Grant since 1st November 2007 Stanger love shopping, dancing, socializing with friends Chicken breyani and pizza comedy, horror, romance Pretoria to smile & to put your problems aside & live for tomorrow would like to be a paramedic
Prince`s Grant since 26 November 2007 Matubatuba Pap and meat (beef) Rambo – First Blood Pietermaritzburg a dream paradise for everyone When I am playing with my two year old boy I see myself running my own business SUMMER 2008
Happiness is...
D
oing the right things in life
10 Years from now
I
wish the problems our country is facing are all resolved so that we can guarantee our kids safety, security, and above all happiness.
In my free time...
I
listen to music and watch movies
THE UMHLOTAAN
15
Tree House ful per square meter. This will strengthen the vascular tissue of the plant.
BY BRUCE MILLICAN I trust that you have all had a blessed Christmas and that 2008 will be a year filled with God’s Grace and Peace. At the end of last year Tree House bid ‘farewell’ to Chris Du Toit, who has now ventured into the world of Seamless Gutters. We wish him well in his new business. Some of you would have noticed a number of new faces in our Tree House team. One of these is that of Sifiso Nyawo. Sifiso joined us at the end of November last year and will be assisting Wonderboy and Xolani in the day to day running of Tree House. Two of Sifiso’s many strengths are: his command of the English language, and his ability to converse with people on different levels. If you have not had the pleasure of meeting Sifiso yet, please contact me or the office to set up an appointment. If anything, this is the time of the year that
you need to keep a very close eye on all your plants, as the humidity does some weird and wicked things to them. Insects are at their most active now, powdery mildew can be found on many plants and the high humidity can rot many of the soft textured plants, particularly ground covers. Due to the high levels of rain that have fallen this past summer, nutrient levels in the soil will be at an all time low, so please fertilize continuously throughout the rainy season. With the growing and mowing, lawn might be looking a little tired, making this an ideal time to apply a dressing of LAN. This will give your lawn a quick green jolt. However, care must be taken to apply the dressing correctly, and it must be watered in immediately, failing which you will be left with yellow patches. There will still be lots of rain around, so keep fertilizing your flowerbeds with a high nitrogen fertilizer such as 3:2:1, at a hand-
The rain and heat from summer would have produced a lot of growth on all your plants, especially shrubs and groundcovers. At your request, shrubs that have finished flowering can be cut back. This will encourage new growth before winter sets in. Mulch the flowerbeds with compost to prevent water loss and keep weeds down. The Carrisa macrocarpa is in full fruit. For your daily dose of Vitamin C, eat a few ripe fruit every day, or use the fruit to make a jelly or cordial. For those who have more of a savoury pallet, pick the green fruit and use them to make a pickle. On the flowering front, ‘stars’ of the month are: Acaia karoo, Asystacia gangetica, Turrae obtusifolia and Crocosmia aurea. If you plan for a year, plant crops If you plan for a decade, plant trees But if you plan for a lifetime, EDUCATE . . . Charles Botha Happy gardening! Bruce M, Tree House
PG SERVICES
PRINCES GRANT HOLIDAY LETTING, CLEANING AND MAINTENANCE SERVICES
• Holiday letting • Cleaning service • Home maintenance
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Kim & Ralph mw,green@mweb.co.za
16
THE UMHLOTAAN
Tel/Fax 032- 482 0066 Cell 082 787 8714
SUMMER 2008
Contact Robert Cell : 073 235 0534 email : nrg@live.co.za
In Partnership with Nature poor rate of growth of some of the first trees that had been planted on the estate. My advice to unearth those tree’s roots to be able to inspect them for damage or pests, revealed fascinating results - many of the trees had been planted with their plastic nursery bags still in place! Another ongoing problem with trees planted along golf greens and roadways is the damage they sometimes suffer at the hands of careless brushcutter operators, and many that have survived still carry scars of the nearring barking they endured. This is certainly not unique to Princess Grant, and there are easy ways to reduce the incidence of this happening, and the subsequent loss of trees that represent investments of both money and time.
PrinceÊs Grant has shown the Way BY WALLY MENNE Visitors and newcomers to Prince’s Grant can hardly be expected to appreciate exactly how fortunate they are to be able to witness the remarkable achievement that has been taking shape here for the past 15 years.
that at the time there had been very little similar work undertaken, and relevant experience was limited to a few individuals such as the late Ian Garland, famed for his forest restoration efforts at Twinstreams near Mtunzini.
Having been involved in the process since the early days, even I am amazed at the way many of the areas that once only sported sugar cane and weeds could have been returned to a state so close to natural within a relatively short time.
Since the PG Estate was established, many new housing projects have emulated the concept used at PG, but with varying degrees of success. Regardless, this trend must be applauded for the positive ongoing contribution to the health of the environment, and benefits to people it represents. Although there is no doubt that many project developers have adopted the indigenous vegetation approach for all the right reasons, others have seen it more as part of a marketing strategy, only given passing priority in the early stages of their project.
It should be obvious to most though, that the current situation did not come about by accident, and that in fact a lot of research, thought and careful planning would have been necessary to produce the blueprint for what can be seen at PG today. Even so, none of this could have become a reality if it were not for the inspired vision and financial commitment of the original shareholders, and the experts who were consulted and employed to develop and to implement those plans. Although the basic concept for the project was sound, it must be remembered
The experience at Prince’s Grant has not all been straight sailing. Since the very beginning there have been glitches and embarrassing ones at that. I can clearly remember when Jeremy Stubbs, the original project consultant approached me to enquire about the
Alien invasive plants have been one of the biggest challenges to achieving the desired ‘natural’ state in the PG estate. During the past two years or so, the efforts of those responsible for alien eradication have produced outstanding results, and if this level of control can be maintained, it will pay dividends in reduced future costs. What of the future? Building on the successes of the past will require continuing vigilance to ensure that high standards of maintenance are achieved. In a way, the 15-year-old plantings at prince’s Grant are starting to mature, but rather like a teenager, they will need even more support and guidance to achieve full potential. Improved plant species selection in garden designs will give PG the edge over the newer estates coming on stream, and a progressive policy in relation to alien plants on neighbouring properties, such as the Admiralty Reserve, will pay handsome dividends in the long-term. Homeowners too will need to play their part by cooperating when asked to remove offending non-indigenous plants, and to resist the temptation to sneak in even more of their old exotic favourites!
SUMMER 2008
THE UMHLOTAAN
17
Things happening at Prince’s Grant
PrinceÊs Grant Book Club book club kicks off the new year Thanks to Norine Edwards, the Prince’s Grant Book Club got off to a great start this year when she hosted the February meeting. As many of you might know, the PG Book Club has been going for many years. Meetings are held monthly, usually on the 1st Monday evening of each month, and hosted by a different member, in their home. Members are mostly permanent residents at PG., but several non-residents attend when timing permits. To date the Club has 19 members, and growing! Book Club gatherings are casual, informal and social in style, giving its members both time to return books/take out new books, hear about ‘new reads’ and ‘catch up’ with fellow members over a glass of wine and snacks, so generously supplied by the hostess.
18
THE UMHLOTAAN
SUMMER 2008
Future Book Club Meetings will be held in: March: Monday 3rd hosted by Noelle Taylor
WHISKY TASTING EVENING during April
April: Monday 7th hosted by Erica le Roux May: Monday 5th hosted by Wendy Freeman An e-mail invitation will be sent to all members by each hostess, prior to the meeting to confirm the date, time and venue. Please remember to R.S.V.P, to allow the hostess to cater accordingly. If you would like to join the PG Book Club, and be added to the mailing list, please submit your name, address and contact details to: Norine on cruising@yebo.co.za Or Roxanna on rustomjeer@mrc.ac.za
During the year I am hoping to put together three or four evenings when a guest speaker will entertain us on various subjects. Should any of you reading this have someone in mind, please contact me. All suggestions will be welcomed. Derek Paxton has kindly offered us the Conference Centre as a venue. To start the ball rolling I am organising a Whisky Tasting Evening in April. It is a complimentary marketing initiative facilitated by the College of Whisky. They will supply a Presenter and all whisky tasting stock. For more details contact me on wendyfreeman@yebo.co.za and I will include you in the evening. The date in April is still to be confirmed.
Keeping it Tidy at Prince’s Grant Recycling at Prince’s grant
by Geoff Taylor
Beach Clean up a great success Just before Christmas a group of over 40 residents met to embark on Prince’s Grant’s first community beach clean-up. Heading out at 7 in the morning, on a beautiful summer’s day, from the North gate the group combed the beach all the way to the South gate collecting the litter, found on the beach, along the way. After collecting bags of litter, including a full 10 liter drum of Chinese ship oil, the “beach rangers” where treated by Anethia and her team to a magnificent and well deserved Champagne breakfast on the beach. Thank you to all who participated. The beach is regarded as one of Prince’s Grant’s most valuable attractions and we have embarked on a program to ensure the pristine nature of this valuable and irreplaceable asset. Our underlying philosophy is the conservation of the beach and to have the beach as natural as possible, with people leaving only their foot prints behind. The community beach clean-up was the first step in this program.
Most of you by now will be aware and participating in our recycling scheme which includes glass and cans. Funds were raised at the Ladies and Mixed Open Days to enable us to buy buckets/bins for all the completed homes so that they could separate their glass and cans/tins from the general household rubbish. We are pleased to say that so far the response from the homeowners has been very positive and the one skip is nearly full of glass from the holiday season with the bags for cans being filled equally well. We urge those homeowners who have not received their bucket to contact Natasha at PGHOA (032 482 0002) to arrange to collect it. We appeal to you all to continue with this project and ensure that your maids/cleaning service providers know what it is about. (the removal of corks from wine bottles and lids from jars would be much appreciated). Let us do our bit for the environment and hopefully in the future we’ll get to paper and perhaps get a compost heap going somewhere on the estate. Thank you again for your support – it is much appreciated. If you have any questions or suggestions please don’t hesitate to call me, Geoff Taylor on 032 482 0156.
AN EMPTY BOTTLE IS FULL OF ENERGY ! Recycling just one empty glass bottle saves enough energy to power a light bulb for nearly an hour...Remember to recycle cans (food ones rinsed please), bottles. Homeowners please ensure your lights are turned off at night time and that your maids/cleaning agents are conscious of the fact that day night switches should be switched off when there is nobody in residence. We live in a secure estate and there is no need, especially in this time of ‘load shedding’ for lights to be blaring through the night. Thank you.
We have also appointed a full time employee to ensure that the beach remains free of litter. We are also hoping that one of the local residents, who frequents the beach more often, becomes one of our “beach rangers” to monitor the state of the beach on a more regular basis. We expect that the community beach cleanup will again be done during Easter and December and become an annual social highlight on Prince’s Grant’s calendar. Our goal is to make PG beach one of he most beautiful, natural and pristine beaches along the North Coast. Any other ideas or suggestions on how to move towards this goal would be welcome by the Home Owners Association.
Well Done! SUMMER 2008
THE UMHLOTAAN
19
PRINCE’S GRANT GOLF ESTATE Phone / Fax (032) 482 0139 Cell 076 745 8605 Email noelle.taylor@pamgolding.co.za
Our Sole Mandates R 4.8 M
A combination of Sea and Golf views Huge Family home WEB ACCESS | 392893
R 850 000
Bush & Golf course views - Stunning Site WEB ACCESS | 392892
R 890 000
Overlook the 18th fairway, walk to the Lodge - plans included in the price WEB ACCESS | 302872
I
would like to bid Wendy a jolly retirement and to thank her for her wonderful friendship – we’ve had some good laughs together in this office. Welcome aboard Geoffrey, you’ve got big shoes to fill!! Geoff (property broker for more years than he’d like to let on) & I, along with the Pam Golding Properties team behind us, offer a professional service to sellers and buyers alike so please contact us.
Sold Sold Sold
Geoff & NoelleTaylor
www.pamgolding.co.za/princesgrant