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As always, another jam packed edition - we hope you enjoy the read, the information, the highlights, and even a feature to get to know your local doctors. Curious about how to peacefully co-exist with the vervet monkeys that call our estate home too? Learn all about their behaviour, habitat, and social structures with insights from The LionHeart Experience, and discover expert tips on managing conflicts and maintaining a safe distance.
Speaking of which, have you given any thought to how to keep your home and estate looking neat and tidy while also monkey-proofing your bins? The Planning and Aesthetics committee has got some practical and aesthetically pleasing solutions for you!
And for all you green-fingered enthusiasts out there, we're sharing the secrets to creating a stunning and low-maintenance garden with the right shrubs. From choosing the perfect plants to designing a beautiful outdoor space, Dr Jonathan Foley has got you covered in Growing Greener Part Two!
Last but not least, we look back at the fun of the recent Community Braai! Delicious grub, games, slippy slides and wonderful company - what more could you ask for?
Till next edition, enjoy the cooling down of the next season!
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents FABMAGS cannot be held responsible for any omission or errors, or for any misfortune, injury or damages that may arise there from. FabMags is a privately owned and funded company and is not subsidized by Seaward Estate or the SEMHOA.
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A Fun-Filled Afternoon!
Celebrating the true spirit of connection and community
Hosted by Morrows
Attorneys and Club Real Estate, our recent Community Braai was a resounding success! Approximately 130 people attended, including kids, who all enjoyed a leisurely afternoon together.
The men gathered around the braais, savouring the flavours and warm
company. Meanwhile, moms and kids relaxed under the shade of trees, picnicking on blankets and chairs. Our seniors brought camping tables and enjoyed meals together, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Thanks to our generous sponsors, the kids had an absolute blast with the slippy slide, jumping castle, and entertainment from a
talented clown, who created balloon animals and painted faces. Delicious treats like slush puppies, popcorn, and candyfloss were also available for all to enjoy.
It was truly a wonderful afternoon of community bonding and connection. We're grateful for the opportunity to come together and create lasting memories!
The Vervet Monkey:
Love Them or Hate Them, They're Here to Stay
one
These intelligent, mischievous creatures evoke strong emotions, but it's essential we understand and coexist with them harmoniously. At The LionHeart Experience, we're passionate about wildlife and recognise the privilege of sharing our space with them.
We acknowledge the challenges vervet monkeys pose, but believe collective
effort can find solutions. This article marks the start of that journey, and we invite the community to join us.
Understanding Vervet Monkeys
Vervets are highly adaptable mammals that thrive in various habitats, from savannahs to coastal forests. They live in social groups of 5-50+ individuals, maintaining a hierarchical structure led by dominant
females and males. Their omnivorous diet consists of fruits, insects, eggs, and small animals. Young males leave their troops at sexual maturity, while older males are eventually replaced by younger ones.
Breeding occurs annually from March to June, with females giving birth after a 165-day gestation period. During this time, testosterone levels rise, and stress between troops
Part
increases, often leading to reports of aggressive behaviour.
Management
There are two very distinct topics regarding the management of vervet monkeys, although related to one another to some degree, they require their own focus and these are:
1. Ecological impact
2. Human-wildlife conflict: Living with Monkeys (to be discussed in Part Two)
Ecological Impacts
In the wild, vervet monkeys are controlled by predators, but in urban areas, they can thrive where food is plentiful. However, they face threats from human development, vehicles, dogs, and human intolerance.
To manage monkey populations effectively, it's essential to understand their carrying capacity in urban settings. We're gathering reliable data on monkey populations on the estate, including troop numbers and total population. This will inform better management decisions.
Ongoing monitoring is crucial, as monkey populations are dynamic and troops may move on and off the property. We're also collecting data on monkeys' predation on other species to make informed decisions.
References:
Down, Prof C. 2023. Pers comm.
Swart, J. and Lawes, M.J. 1996. The Effect of Habitat patch connectivity on Samango
Monkey (Ceropithecus mitis) metapopulation persistence. Ecological Modelling 93 pp. 57 - 74. van Jaarsveld, A. S., et al. 1998. Strategies Biodiversity Assessment and Conservation Science 279, 2106 - 2108
Another important aspect to consider is that we're approaching the vervet monkey breeding season, which typically runs from March to June. During this time, we tend to receive more reports of 'aggressive' monkey behaviour, however, it's essential to note that this is a normal part of their cycle.
Testosterone levels are higher during the breeding season, leading to increased tension within and between troops. While this may lead to more pronounced body language, it doesn't necessarily mean there's a greater danger.
Rather, it's crucial to be aware of the monkeys' heightened communication through body language during this period.
Here are some good points to bear in mind in order to reduce the likelihood of this:
1. Do not have food in your possession in the presence of monkeys
2. Do not threaten monkeys with your behaviour
3. Make sure homes are well secured
4. Don’t approach monkeys directly
5. Avoid eye contact. This is possibly one of the best and most important ways to avoid confrontation with monkeys. They rely largely on body language within their
social communication, and to them, the eyes tell the story. If you lock eyes with an aggressive monkey, they take this as a challenge. It is best to look away and pretend they are not there. This will further reduce any risk of confrontation
It really does help to have someone who is experienced with monkey behaviour walk you through these encounters.
Learning to understand wildlife really helps to overcome fears... we do this a lot with snakes.
And just to mention lastly, a significant part of the
challenge we have with monkeys is due to them associating humans with food. There is more than enough food in the greenbelts to sustain vervet monkey populations, and unless we can break this link, we are not likely to remove the challenges we have. Monkeys are getting mixed messages from humans. This is only going to increase conflict.
There needs to be one clear message, that we are not a source of food. Not in any way via feeding, bins, pet food, open windows, etc.
Until we get that right in our community, the challenge continues. What I try to encourage communities to do, is to slowly start to get this message across to our neighbours. This will increase the harmony that we desire to have with wildlife.
Harmony sometimes requires space, distance and respect, with particular species. It's not about one neighbour indulging the monkeys with snacks, while the other chases them away with screams and chaos.
Stay tuned for part two.
LOCAL
EXPERTS
IN HEALTHCARE
HEALTHCARE
Get to know the trusted doctors and dentists in your area. From routine check-ups to specialist treatments, our local healthcare professionals are committed to delivering exceptional service and personalised care for you and your family.
shOrelIne DenTal: Where Coastal Charm Meets Dental Excellence
Dr Kevin Maguire and his dedicated team believe that a healthy smile is the foundation of a confident life. We are committed to providing personalised, high-quality care in a warm and welcoming environment for patients of all ages. From routine check-ups and cleanings to advanced restorative procedures, our skilled professionals utilise the latest technology and techniques to achieve optimal results for your oral health. We focus on building long-term relationships with our patients, creating a dental experience that is both gentle and effective. Whether you're here for a simple cleaning or a more complex procedure, our goal is to make every visit a positive one. Schedule your appointment at our Ballito or Umhlanga practice, and let us guide you toward the beautiful, healthy smile you deserve.
Ballito: 032 946 3257
Umhlanga: 087 945 0406 www.shorelinedental.co.za
Dr Tharuna reDDy
Bringing over a decade of healthcare experience from our well-established Durban North practice, Dr Tharuna Reddy's Ballito practice is now open. As a general practitioner, she is dedicated to providing comprehensive medical care, including chronic medical checks, disease screening and prevention, pap smears, minor procedures, vitamin drips, and weight loss solutions. We welcome most medical aids.
Your health is our top priority, and with our expansion to Ballito, we continue to uphold our commitment in patient care.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” - Philippians 4:13
Dr Khalek Adam Khader and his team extend a very warm welcome to all Seaward residents visiting their family-oriented dental practice. Combining 27 years of dental experience and using only the latest innovative dental technologies, Adams Dental will provide you with the best possible value in dental treatment. They will always stay current with the most successful treatment options available, from basic dentistry to advanced smile makeovers and interceptive orthodontics. A core belief of their practice is for their patients to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that their treatment has been well done.
Growing Greener
CONSERVATION CORNER AND GARDENING GUIDE TWO
Getting the planning and planting sequence right
From our previous discussion on soil solutions and indigenous tree selection, we now turn our attention to shrubs. Shrubs are the "muscles" that flesh out the garden's "skeleton" of trees. A simple planning sequence can guide your planting: establish larger vertical elements (trees), fill in with suitable shrubs, and unify the design with groundcovers. The key is choosing the right shrubs for the job.
Spectacular Shrubs
When shopping in a nursery, it's easy to be overwhelmed by the wide range of plants on
display. They are all sold in 5-8 litre bags with no indication of how large they will get. This is crucial, especially in coastal gardens where plants grow rapidly and compete for space. Here are some general guidelines on working with shrubs:
• Build around the trees with a range of shrubs to provide form, foliage, and flowering qualities
• Group shrubs of the same species together, never ever dot them at random throughout the garden
• Balance sun and shade requirements together with plant growth habit, mature size, seasonal effect and speed of growth
• Generally place larger material at the back of the bed and smaller material in front
• Select shrubs that do not require pruning - the low maintenance gardener chooses tidy self-contained shrubs. A plant that is placed in an incorrect location also requires constant pruning
• You must also allow visual spaces in between the mass plantings for the eye to roam
To assist you in your plant choices, I present five different categories of shrubs, each meeting a specific need and role in the design.
PINK PEAR (DoMBeYa BUrGeSSIae)
The Fantastic Five
1. Restrict the shrubs with a bushy growth habit to the perimeter or borders of the garden, not as single islands in the lawn. These are generally 3-5m or more in width and height. Indigenous examples include silverleaf (Brachylaena discolour) and pink wild pear (Dombeya burgessiae).
2. Screening Shrubs are selected for their dense foliage and upright growth habit. They also provide a range of functions acting as windbreaks, lowering noise levels, and providing privacy. Ideally, they should not spread out too wide and be able to grow in narrow areas such as in between boundary fences. Plants such as the honey bell (Freylinia tropica) and river indigo (Indigofera jucunda) are versatile, neat, and free flowering.
3. Cascading Shrubs are an ideal solution for steep banks, eliminating the need for expensive terraces and engineer designed retaining walls. Shrubs with a dense spreading thicket, like growth suppress weeds, are a major asset for the low maintenance gardener. Examples for steep slopes include pride de Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii) and plumbago (Plumbago capensis). There is absolutely no need to prune these, just let them run and creep as they do in nature.
4. Sub Shrubs are smaller and softer. They should
be massed around the framework of larger shrubs to fill in gaps, as well as provide visual interest and variety, especially in the residential situation. These plants are under 2m in size and width and do not pose a competitive threat. Plants in this category include purple ribbon (Hypoestes aristata) and black bird berry (Psychotria capensis).
5. Specimen Shrubs are chosen for their enduring qualities either in foliage, shape or flowers. Also called form plants, they do not require constant pruning, and can be used in
PURPLE RIBBON BUSH (HYPoeSteS arIStata)
HONEY BELL (FreYLInIa troPICa)
1.
high profile areas in the garden. Plants include bird of paradise (Strelitzia reginae) and wild dracaena (Dracaena aletriformis).
In order to optimise value when shopping for shrubs, you can refer to these categories so you know what function the newly purchased plant will perform. There are some excellent online platforms for indigenous shrubs, check out the SANBI website https://pza.sanbi.org
For all your further landscape gardening and plant queries, contact Dr Jonathan Foley at 083 320 4335 or email groundlevellandscapes5@gmail.com
Please remember that before planting up beds afresh and re-landscaping your garden, it is necessary to submit
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a plan to the Seaward Estates Office for Dr Foley's review. Ensure your plan includes:
• A site plan showing the outline of your home, your boundary lines, your pool, and fencing position.
• Using simple symbols, indicate where the different trees, shrubs and ground cover will be located in the design shape of your bed.
• North-point.
• Plant legend or chart indicating the types of trees, shrubs, ground cover to be used and how many to be planted per metre square, including the type of grass if you are also regressing.
Kindly submit the plan (hard copy or electronic) to Rieva McMurtrie.
Practical tips for storing your wheelie bins and maintaining our Estate's curb appeal.
WORDS from the Planning and aesthetics committee
Dear Residents
We trust that you are well.
As we strive to improve the aesthetics of our Estate, including gardens, verges, home maintenance, and common areas, we have realised that wheelie bins can detract from the overall neatness and aesthetics of the estate. Some residents may have already received notices regarding their bins being left outside on the verge between collection days.
To assist you in finding some practical solutions to storing your wheelie bins out of sight (as is required in terms of the rules for these items) but without breaking the bank nor detracting from the design of your home, the Planning and Aesthetics Committee have come up with these proposed solutions for your consideration and implementation.
Aside from giving your wheelie bin a “home” or “pad”, these
structures will also help keep the monkeys out of your bins, thereby also encouraging the re-wilding of monkeys (which is for their own good).
When adding any external structures to your home, kindly submit a simple sketch of the design (height, width, material used, and finishes) as well as on a sketch plan, the location of the structure. This is to be submitted to our Compliance
Officer, Geno. He will check your proposal both in design and on-site to ensure that this addition in no way detracts from your home and garden.
The key requirements for your wheelie bin "pad" are:
• Height: 1.5M (minimum) – 2m (maximum)
• Fully enclosed
• A self-locking gate
RECOMMENDED MATERIALS Sizing
and specifications
Exclusions:
1. Rough sawed timber
2. Ntengu screens
3. Criss Cross Lattice screening
4. Colours and materials to be selected to integrate with existing house
5. Consider attaching the structure to the existing house / garage or integrate into landscape
MIN REQUIREMENTS
• Min Height: 1550mm;
• Max Height: 2000mm
• All 4 sides must be enclosed and have self-latching gate on structure.
• Bin screens are only required where no yard was provided on property.
• Bins can also be stored in garages or out of sight from the road.
• Consider increasing the size to make provision for recycling bins or garden waste.
• Please refer to drawings on page 19-20 for recommended designs and sizing.
DESIGN CONCEPT 1
DESIGN CONCEPT 1
ESIGN
Typical Bin Details For Design Concept 1 shown Below:
TYPICAL BIN DETAILS FOR DESIGN CONCEPT 1 SHOWN BELOW:
TYPICAL BIN DETAILS FOR DESIGN CONCEPT 2 SHOWN BELOW:
DESIGN CONCEPT
LOUVRE
OUVRE
TYPICAL BIN DETAILS FOR DESIGN CONCEPT 2 SHOWN BELOW:
TYPICAL BIN DETAILS FOR DESIGN CONCEPT 2 SHOWN BELOW:
DESIGN CONCEPT 2
Typical Bin Details For Design Concept 2 shown Below:
Recommended spacing between slats: 20mm
lOuVre : Sizing | Materials | Colour may vary Refer to recommended materials on page 18.
PLEASE NOTE: Sizing | Materials | Colour may vary
• Refer to recommended materials on page 18.
• Interlocking gate
• Side hung gates
• Recommended spacing between slats: 20mm
DESIGN CONCEPT 3
Typical Bin Details For Design Concept 3 shown Below:
DESIGN CONCEPT 3
DESIGN CONCEPT 4
DESIGN CONCEPT 4
Typical Bin Details For Design Concept 4 shown Below:
DESIGN CONCEPT 4
DESIGN CONCEPT 4
CONCEPT 4
PLEASE NOTE: Sizing | Materials | Colour may vary
OPEN SLATTED
• Refer to recommended materials on page 18.
• Recommended spacing between slats: 20mm
• Interlocking gate
• Side hung gates
TYPICAL BIN DETAILS FOR DESIGN CON
concept 4 is of Brickwork therefore must be in terms of KDM and building regulations and it will be considered a
: Design concept 4 is of Brickwork therefore must be of KDM and regulations and it will be considered a item
BRICK | GABION
BRICK | GABION
PLEASE NOTE: Sizing | Materials | Colour may vary
• Please note: Design concept 4 is of Brickwork therefore
• Must be in terms of KDM and building regulations and it will be considered a material item
