From the Estate Manager's Desk

Photo Credit:Bryan O’Connor

Friendly greetings to everyone from all of us here at the HOA office. Winter now has us firmly in its icy grip and what a challenging time this has turned out to be. Not only have we been faced with a relentless third wave of the pandemic but to add to that, the events unfolding in different parts of our country over the past number of weeks have also left us bruised and battered in many different ways. Our estate community was fortunate enough to escape the brunt of the protest actions experienced elsewhere in the province but as a nation, we have all been severely affected nevertheless. These events have forced us to rethink our readiness for any unforeseen security risks and how we define our estate as a safe living space in which our residents and their families can enjoy a secure and flourishing lifestyle. Quite understandably, some residents have then also expressed to us their anxieties and voiced their concerns around the estate’s potential vulnerability to similar threats in the future. I, therefore, thought it appropriate to share with you some information in this regard to hopefully give some more clarity and insight into our strategic approach in addressing potential risks.

Our primary security objective remains the protection of our premises and the property of our residents. This is achieved through our state-of-the-art security equipment and infrastructure as well as on-site personnel. Our security service provider, Omega Risk Solutions, not only provides us with primary frontline security, but they are also well equipped to immediately supply us with additional resources and equipment should the need arise.

This includes backup armed response and crowd control capabilities as part of their extended client support network. The secondary layer to our approach is our close cooperation with external role players in the area. These include our neighbouring estates and their service providers, private property owners, and the Boschkop Community Policing Forum. Regular contact with all of these ensures that we get updated with the latest information on any forms of criminal activity that may pose a risk to us and the visible policing operations that we take part in which serve as a proactive deterrent. In addition to all of the above, we are currently also investigating meaningful ways of even further bolstering the security and integrity of our entrance gates and estate perimeter so that we remain vigilant and prepared for any eventuality. We hope that this will put your mind at ease a bit but I also cannot stress enough that as we have seen recently, how communities unite and stand together for the common good of all their people now matters even more than before. Our well-being and prosperity are dependant on the extent to which we are willing to work with each other in the interest of everyone who calls The Hills his or her home. The philosophy of ubuntu (which also happens to be the school motto of Reddford House) strikes me whenever this comes to mind: “I am because we are.”

I am because we are.

I would like to thank you for taking the time to read my message and look forward to seeing you in and around the estate as always. We have quite a few exciting developments planned for the coming months and will be keeping you updated on these in due course so be sure to keep watching this space.

Please stay safe, warm, and in good spirits!

Murray Retief