Welgevonden Estate: Estate Manager’s newsletter: January 2026

Dear Welgevonden Estate Homeowners and Residents

“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

As we step into a new year at Welgevonden Estate, this quote feels especially relevant. Life in our community is shaped not only by the homes we live in, but by the everyday contributions we make to one another. It’s these, often simple acts of consideration, that turn a residential estate into a true community. In 2026, may we continue to look out for one another, take pride in our surroundings, and play our part in making Welgevonden Estate the place where we belong.

The past holiday season

Thank you to all residents who helped make the festive season at Welgevonden Estate relaxed and enjoyable, and to our security personnel who continued to ensure a safe environment with no security-related breaches reported during this period. We also thank those residents who added a festive touch by decorating their homes and gardens, contributing to the cheerful atmosphere across the estate.

We trust that everyone who went away over the holiday period enjoyed a well-deserved break, and has returned safely.

Unfortunately, we did receive reports during the holiday period of behaviour that is not in keeping with community living at Welgevonden Estate. These included children throwing eggs at houses, bullying younger children, throwing stones at birds at the dam, and a particularly concerning incident in which a duck was injured, allegedly by a pellet from a pellet gun.

Estate management takes these matters very seriously. The safety and wellbeing of our residents and their households, as well as the wildlife on the estate remain a priority. We remind residents that pellet guns are not toys, but potentially dangerous weapons, and that the discharge of pellet guns or any firearm without lawful justification in public areas – including within Welgevonden Estate – is strictly prohibited.

We also request parents to guide and educate their children on appropriate behaviour, particularly when using common property and interacting with fellow residents and wildlife, and to take responsibility for their children while on the estate, as well as for their visitors.  

Our security team has been instructed to remain vigilant and to monitor for any further incidents of misconduct. Such incidents will be reported to management and dealt with in accordance with the Welgevonden Estate rules.

Welgevonden Community Christmas Festival 2025

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the organisers, fundraisers, other volunteers, musicians, exhibitors, and sponsors who organised and contributed to the success of the Welgevonden Community Christmas Festival, held on 13 December last year. This truly enjoyable and memorable event was made possible by a dedicated group of residents, guided by Sterna Muller and Warren Joubert, who generously volunteered their time and energy to successfully bring our community’s festive spirit to life.

The festival created a special day where residents could pause, connect and enjoy the goodwill of the season in the company of fellow homeowners and residents, making it a highlight of the festive period at Welgevonden Estate.

Below are photographs that reflect some of the activity at the event (Photographs: Ansurette Pretorius from Orcansu Productions)

A warm welcome to new residents

A very warm welcome to all our new residents at Welgevonden Estate. We trust you’ll quickly feel at home and enjoy everything our community has to offer.

As a reminder, the estate is managed in accordance with the Welgevonden Home Owners’ Association (WHOA) constitution, rules and related guidelines. We encourage you to familiarise yourself with these by visiting the residents page on the Welgevonden Estate website. Should you have any questions, the estate office is always happy to assist. You can reach us at admin@welgevonden.co.za.

Welgevonden Park development

We look forward to the completion of Welgevonden Park, an integrated leisure and lifestyle facility on Welgevonden Estate. Following the recent builders’ holidays, the contractor and professional project team overseeing the project are now back on site and work has resumed. Completion is currently anticipated by the end of March 2026.

Please click here to read an article on the project in the latest issue of Estate Living magazine.

Maintenance of properties and gardens

With many residents having been away over the holiday period, it’s understandable that some gardens may not have received their usual level of care. Now that the new year is in full swing, we kindly ask residents to make a special effort to bring their gardens back to form.

Regular weekly maintenance is encouraged, with particular attention given to lawn care, weeding of driveways and pavements, and the overall streetscape appearance of your home. These small efforts go a long way in maintaining the high standards and visual appeal of our estate.

Parking at Welgevonden Estate

We would like to remind residents that public parking within Welgevonden Estate is limited. To ensure fair access for everyone, strict parking measures are in place, and residents are requested to park only on their own properties. Please refrain from parking in public areas or on pavements unless you are in possession of a valid parking permit. For more information, click here.

A reminder for all permit holders: Parking permits must be renewed annually. The renewal period for 2026 is now open. Please visit the estate office at the R44 entrance to complete your renewal and collect your new permit.

European paper wasps

European paper wasps are highly active in the Western Cape, particularly during the peak summer months. As an invasive, predatory and parasitic species, they pose a threat to our ecosystem by preying on other insects such as grasshoppers, butterflies and, especially, bees. This has led to growing concern about their impact on local honeybee populations and, by extension, on crop pollination.

These wasps have also been observed on Welgevonden Estate. Estate management is taking proactive steps to treat green areas and estate buildings with insecticide to control the wasps. We encourage residents to do the same if wasp nests are identified on their properties, either by treating them personally or by engaging a professional service provider.

For those interested in a chemical-free approach, please click here to watch an informative video by Simon Allen, Val de Vie Estate’s environmental officer. In the video, he demonstrates a method for removing wasp nests without using poisonous chemicals. (Acknowledgement: Val de Vie Estate)

Image: The European paper wasp

Conclusion

As we move forward into 2026, thank you for continuing to play your part in making Welgevonden Estate a safe, welcoming and enjoyable place to live. We look forward to another positive year of our great community living and enjoying our special estate together!

Best regards

Gawie Marx

Estate Manager

16 January 2026