Dear Welgevonden Estate Homeowners and Residents
“If a year was tucked inside of a clock, then autumn would be the magic hour." This quote from Victoria Erickson certainly reflects what Welgevonden Estate is about this time of the year – a second spring when every leaf is a flower! (Albert Camus)
Enjoy the richness and tranquillity that autumn brings to the soul.
Estate life further enhanced!
Stellenbrew Coffee Bar, previously offering a takeaway coffee service from their coffee trailer on Welgevonden Estate, has relocated to a semi-permanent coffee kiosk. This facility is located on the triangular green area near the R44 entrance to Welgevonden Estate.
Stop by for your favourite coffee and a bite to eat! When doing so, why not invite friends or the family along!
Removal of recycling refuse
We have received complaints from residents of recycling refuse not being collected, or such bags being left on the pavement on refuse removal day. It was also mentioned that new recycling bags were not delivered to certain premises.
We took the matter up with the Stellenbosch Municipality who replied on 29 April 2022 as follows:
“The bag distribution team said they left recycling bags for every house that put recycling out. However, on Friday 6 May 2022 we will again issue all houses with bags (also to those that do not put recycling waste out) so that everyone is assured bags were distributed.
We also confirmed with the contractor that recycling does get picked up, but that bags that also contain contaminated waste are not collected. Such contaminated waste must go into the (black) refuse waste bins, as contaminated waste cannot be processed at the municipality’s materials recovery facility.”
What is of interest to note, is that the routes of collection trucks are being monitored via satellite tracking which, in this specific instance, indicated that the collection truck did service every street on Welgevonden Estate on this specific day (please see the screen shot below).
In summary:
All Welgevonden Estate households should have received recycling bags on 6 May 2022.
Please ensure that recycling bags do not contain contaminated waste. Such bags will not be collected. (In this regard, please see more details below, or click here for an enlarged version of the image.)
Level play areas
With Welgevonden Estate located predominantly against sloped terrain, there is a need for level areas on the public open spaces where ball sports can be played. In view of requests received in this regard, we are looking at the feasibility of creating even surfaces at the Minaret Park, and at the play park on the main green belt. We will give feedback upon completion of our investigation.
Building sites
We request homeowners who are planning building or renovation work on their properties to abide by the provisions laid out in the document “Control measures to regulate the performance of services and building work in Welgevonden Estate”. The purpose of these measures is to regulate the performance of services and building work in Welgevonden Estate. This is to ensure that the quality of life of residents is not unduly compromised or inconvenienced by any work performed on the estate. It also serves to ensure that the environmental impact of such work is minimized, yet recognizing that service providers and building contractors must be able to perform their work efficiently and effectively. (Please click here to view or download the document.)
In this regard we wish to commend Bambana Management Services for the way in which they’ve prepared the site on Welgevonden Estate where they are currently working. This is how all construction sites should be screened off.
Stellenbosch Municipality Zoning Scheme By-Law 2019
During 2021 we’ve sent information to all homeowners regarding the Stellenbosch Municipality Zoning Scheme By-Law 2019. Amongst others, it was mentioned that the WHOA will, under certain conditions and subject to Stellenbosch Municipality approval, consider the recommending of permission for “home lodging” as an additional use, apart from using an individual residential property on the estate as a “single dwelling house”.
We request those homeowners who received home lodging approval from the Welgevonden Home Owners’ Association (WHOA), to submit the subsequent approval they received from the Stellenbosch Municipality, if granted, to the Welgevonden Estate administrative office. Without this approval on record at this office, we shall not be able to register new occupants on the WHOA database when current leases expire.
At the same time we wish to point out that we are taking steps to block the GloVisitor functionality of properties where it is clear that unauthorised long-term lodging is provided, but without the unauthorised tenant having been registered on the database, or the property having been approved for home lodging. Access to the estate for these unauthorised long-term tenants via GloVisitor access code would therefore not be possible when the functionality has been blocked. Any person occupying a property in contravention of the above by-law will not only be in breach of the Estate Rules, but will also be refused biometric access into Welgevonden Estate.
Improved cellphone reception
Excom is currently considering a proposal received from a town planning consultancy to erect a cellphone tower on Welgevonden Estate to improve cellphone reception, especially in the lower-lying areas of the estate. This facility will provide a service to all cellphone network providers.
Excom’s decision will be guided by the following:
Regular complaints received at the administrative office about poor cellphone reception on Welgevonden Estate, especially nowadays with more residents working from home and in need of good cellphone connectivity.
A position as far as possible from residences, and the acceptable appearance of the facility.
Compliance with prescribed regulatory processes and guidelines as far as electromagnetic radiation protection goes.
Should Excom recommend the installation, the consultancy will proceed with a comprehensive process – among others, consultation with those who might be affected, and obtaining local authority approval – before the project can be finalised. Excom recommendation, if given, is therefore only the start of a statutory process to be followed by the consultancy. It does not imply that the facility will necessarily be put in place.
Best regards
Gawie Marx
Estate Manager
9 May 2022
