Caretaker Report
Maintenance on roofs and walls
Ongoing maintenance includes constant repairs and replacement of loose screws. Regular cleaning of gutters continues as scheduled. The wooden doors to the garages at units 1 to 6 have been sanded and treated. Sand sweeping into the paving has been completed wherever requested by owners. Repairs have been completed on the dividing wall between units 15 and 16. A second request to inform us of leaking roofs was posted end September. A contractor, Juan Wessels, are in the process of inspecting the roofs and repairing where needed.
Maintenance on doors Units 1-6, and 19-24
These doors require treatment for sun damage. According to the attached estimate, the cost per door amounts to approximately R548.00. If accepted by the owners, the cost can be added to their levies.
Fire Safety Equipment
Annual servicing of fire hoses and fire extinguishers has been completed by Fernotech. Several owners have purchased additional in-house devices, which were also serviced during this annual maintenance cycle.
Security Enhancements
To address security concerns, stronger bulbs were installed in lampposts and additional lights were added to unit 1, the gate, and unit 18 to illuminate dark areas.
Garden Maintenance
Compost holes dug over the course of three years are filling up nicely, and compost is now available for gardening purposes. Residents may request compost from the gardeners as needed. The compost is also being used as lawn topping and appears to be ideally suited for this purpose.
Two sawtooth oak trees are being relocated complex as they have grown too large for their previous locations. We hope they survive the transplantation. The cherry trees require constant treatment against slugs. The indigenous (Ouhout) shrubs are developing well, and we will be adding more of these plants.
Chimney Cleaning
Our gardeners are not adequately equipped for chimney cleaning tasks. We recommend contacting Juan Wessels at Elficient Services, who specialises in this type of work. (082) 874-9467
Fibre Connection
The contract with Internet SA expired at the end of June. Bethnet approached us to install fibre as well, but Internet SA refuses to allow them to use their existing infrastructure. This would require Bethnet to dig and lay their own pipes, involving extensive labour work that is unacceptable to the trustees. This matter remains open for discussion.
Unit Extensions
A Request to add an extension to Unit 10 has been approved. See the resolution by clicking on the provided link. Trustee permission was granted unanimously. Pierre le Grange and Elluman finished the work to perfection.
A question regarding common property and exclusive areas was discussed. Click on the provided link to see an explanation of these terms.
Unit 12 has enclosed its patio after requesting and obtaining permission from the trustees. The enclosure was completed to standard by Elluman.
Fencing
Units 1, 10 and 12 have added white picket fences to enclose their exclusive areas. Maintenance on the fence at unit 7 has commenced.
Eskom to waive registration fees until March 2026
Eskom reaffirmed on April 1 its commitment to waive registration fees for residential solar PV systems – a policy in effect since March 2023 that supports South African households installing typical 16 kVA systems. However, the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) notes this remains a temporary measure. They urged Eskom to make these benefits permanent for residential customers. The looming reinstatement of fees after March 2026 risks creating a financial barrier that could deter investment in solar PV and other renewable solutions, slowing progress when rapid, widespread adoption is essential to meet our commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Climate Change Act.
Traffic Safety Concern and Proposed Solution
There is an ongoing safety concern within the complex regarding excessive vehicle speeds on our paved roads. Owners, guests, and workers have been driving at dangerous speeds. This behavior poses a significant risk to everybody within our complex.
Despite repeated requests to offending drivers, the speeding problem has persisted and continues to be ignored. Requests has proven insufficient in curbing this dangerous behaviour.
To address this persistent safety hazard, the installation of speed humps along the main thoroughfares within the complex is recommended. Speed humps are a proven traffic calming measure that physically compel drivers to reduce their speed, thereby creating a safer environment for all residents and visitors.
A quotation has been obtained for the installation of speed humps as follows:
R27,126.00
Elf-icient Services, Juan Wessels
4 speed humps in total recommended: in the regions of units 1 & 2 & 4; 23 & 13, 21 & 15