Welgevonden Estate: Estate Manager’s newsletter: May 2026

Dear Welgevonden Estate Homeowners and Residents

At Welgevonden Estate, Excom and estate management remain committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for residents, their guests and their property.

In this newsletter, we focus on several important aspects of estate safety and security, including personal and household security awareness, road safety and compliance, access to your home, precautions on your property when planning to go away, and the effective management of visitor access and PIN codes.

Residential safety and security awareness

The safety and security of all residents remain our top priority. While the estate security team maintains strict access control and ongoing security monitoring, we encourage residents to also remain vigilant and to apply sound security practices within their own homes and in their streets.

Employing domestic staff and service providers

Exercise care when appointing domestic employees, gardeners, au pairs, maintenance staff, and other service providers.

Before employing any individual, it is advisable to:

• Review previous employment or service history

• Obtain reliable references

• Conduct criminal record checks

• Verify identity documentation

Where possible, make use of reputable companies or service providers that maintain reliable management and supervision of their staff. Be careful not to randomly employ individuals sourced informally from public areas such as street corners or traffic intersections, where background verification is often not possible. Even when referrals come from trusted sources or existing employees, independent reference and criminal checks should still be conducted.

Road safety and compliance

We remind residents of the importance that they and their guests always adhere and keep to the estate’s speed limit and traffic regulations. The same general traffic regulations that apply on public roads outside Welgevonden Estate also apply on roads within the estate.

Our community is a shared environment with pedestrians, families, children, cyclists, dog walkers, and carers with strollers using the roads throughout the day. Speeding, using cellphones while driving – an issue regularly observed within the estate – and disregard for the rules of the road, place everyone at unnecessary risk. We, especially, request residents to ensure that their visitors, contractors, and service providers are also aware of and comply with the estate’s traffic regulations while on the estate.

Pedestrians, cyclists, skateboarders, and all other road users are also encouraged to use the roads responsibly and remain alert to vehicle movement, recognising that the roads are primarily designed for vehicular traffic and often without pavements for pedestrian use. 

In this regard, it is important to discuss road safety with au pairs and child carers who walk with babies and young children in strollers along the estate roads. They are often seen walking on the incorrect side of the road, with vehicles approaching from behind. For their own safety, and the safety of the children in their care, pedestrians should walk facing oncoming traffic whenever possible.

Creating a safe environment is a shared responsibility. We thank those residents who take this responsibility seriously for their continued cooperation in helping to make our estate safer for everyone.

At the same time, we appeal to those who may not yet view these matters with the same level of importance, to do so in the interest of their own safety, the wellbeing of their families and guests, and the safety of the wider estate community.

Access to your home

While homeowners place a great deal of trust in their domestic staff, it is nevertheless advisable to implement appropriate control measures to help protect the privacy, safety and security of both the homeowner and the employee.

It is advisable to:

• Store valuables in lockable cupboards or safes

• Restrict access to safes, alarm codes, keys, and other sensitive areas

• Carefully manage all house keys, including spare and vehicle keys

• Replace locks immediately if any keys are lost or unaccounted for

• Avoid leaving doors unnecessarily unlocked

• Keep spare keys in a secure location rather than hiding them outside the property

Precautions on your property when planning to go away

For personal safety and property security, we encourage residents not to share travel plans, departure dates, or return schedules with employees or service providers.

Establishing good relationships with neighbours is highly recommended, particularly when travelling or leaving your home unattended for extended periods. Trusted neighbours can assist by monitoring unusual activity around your property or attend to emergencies that may occur on the property.

Visitor access and PIN code management

We request residents to actively manage visitor access permissions to, and estate PIN codes for, Welgevonden Estate.

Please ensure that:

• Visitor PIN codes are cancelled immediately if they are no longer required

• Visitor access notifications are monitored

• Exit notifications are reviewed to confirm that visitors have left the estate within a reasonable time

Any suspicious activity, irregularities, or security concerns should be reported immediately to the Estate Security Department (Tel: 021 889 5209 or 076 440 0558) or the estate office (Tel: 021 889 5450; e-mail: admin@welgevonden.co.za) for further investigation.

A shared responsibility

Maintaining a safe and secure estate is a collective effort involving all stakeholders. Through vigilance, responsible practices, and cooperation, we can continue to protect the wellbeing of everyone in our community.

Thank you to all residents for your ongoing support and commitment to keeping Welgevonden Estate safe and secure.

Welgevonden Park

Construction of the buildings, access road and civil works is almost complete. However, progress was affected by the inclement weather experienced recently, and the wet soil conditions that followed.

Construction of the padel and tennis courts is progressing, although at a slower pace than originally anticipated. Completion will depend largely on weather conditions over the coming weeks.

Prepare your house for winter

The previous week’s strong winds, heavy rain and stormy weather offered a timely reminder of the importance of preparing your home for the cold and wet months ahead. A little preparation now can help prevent costly repairs later. Below are some practical tips to help you get started.

Stormwater management

In line with local regulations, lower-lying properties are required to accept stormwater from higher-lying properties. However, it remains the responsibility of owners of higher-lying properties to ensure that stormwater is correctly managed and channelled from their erven through the appropriate stormwater infrastructure.

Rainwater from your roof should be directed via downpipes towards the street, where it can flow into the municipal stormwater system through kerb inlets. Under no circumstances should rainwater be diverted into the municipal sewer system. This is not only non-compliant, but can lead to serious consequences, including sewer overflows, strain on wastewater treatment facilities, environmental damage, and health risks.

As the rainy season sets in, please keep an eye on stormwater inlets along the streets. Blockages can quickly lead to flooding. Report any issues you may notice to estate management so they can be cleared promptly.

Home maintenance tips

Your home is one of your most valuable investments. The simple, cost-effective maintenance checks set out below can go a long way in protecting it through winter.

• Check the roof

Inspect your roof for potential leaks. Look for damaged or bent sheeting, loose or missing screws, worn washers, or incorrectly fitted fasteners. Signs such as blistering or bubbling may indicate rust. Also check waterproofing membranes for cracks or lifting. If you have a tiled roof, ensure that tiles are secure and undamaged.

• Clear the gutters

Remove debris such as leaves, sand, and roots from gutters, downpipes, and outdoor drains. Trim overhanging branches to prevent damage during storms.

• Repaint and seal exterior walls

Repair cracks, prepare surfaces, and apply a fresh coat of paint where needed. This not only improves appearance but also helps prevent moisture from penetrating walls and causing damp inside your home.

• Clean the chimney

Before lighting your fireplace, ensure the chimney is free of soot build-up or obstructions such as bird nests.

• Seal gaps and draughts

Good insulation keeps warmth in and energy costs down. Replace cracked windowpanes, refresh window putty where needed, and use sealing strips to ensure windows and doors close properly.

These are only some of the essentials. Feel free to add any additional preparations that suit your home. However, the key is to start early. Winter has a way of arriving sooner than expected!

Best regards

Gawie Marx

Estate Manager

21 May 2026