I have been pondering for quite some time about starting a blog for owners from the eco estate and here it is. We only communicate with each other when we meet by accident and at the annual "bun fight" at the yearly AGM. After Tuesday night's AGM it was clear that we all actually need a forum where we can express ourselves, share information, complain to each other, get advice, have a bit of fun and so on. With any luck next year's AGM we won't be going home at 21H00 and Mr Coleman won't have his hands so full. If the board members do address our questions and complaints via the blog, maybe they won't have to answer so many questions at the AGM. I invite all register owners of Meyersdal Nature Estate to register with me at ciarra@newsestate.co.za. The developer and board members are welcome to register - and if they want, answer any mail.
To register you need to e-mail me the following:
- Copy of municipal account
- Your e-mail address.
- The name under which you would like me to post your mail - can be your real name or you can be under an alias.
As many of you know there wa,s and still is, a definite lack of communication between developer / board members and home owners despite of what was said at the previous AGM. I can't understand why when it comes to sending us the bills we always receive them, but when it come to important information or even just reminders for cocktail evenings and braai's, we don't all receive notification. I thought maybe it was just me not receiving e-mails but it was clear last Tuesday night that this was not the case.
This AGM night reminded me of a meeting that was held at the club house about 2 years ago when pandemonium broke out resulting in much embarrassment for Grant Hinkley (as chairman). The sentiment was unsavoury practices and a total lack of transparency. Mr Booysen revealed for the first time to home owners about his intention to build townhouses where the old quarry is. Many owners were unhappy because they were not informed about this fact when they bought their stands. Mr Booysen's reply was that he can't be held liable for what the estate agent involved said. Owners were told mostly, by Neil Diamond Properties staff, that the quarry was to be returned to bushveld. Mr Booysen said that we must go and read the Articles of Association and that this document gave him the right to do with the "quarry land" as he wishes. Home owners felt that townhouses don't belong in an upmarket estate like ours. After a lengthy debate, home owners were still not happy with what Mr Booysen just revealed, but reluctantly agreed that he can rather build houses than townhouses in this area. Mr Booysen also wanted to open a "Boutique Hotel" at the top of the estate, but this idea was shot down in flames by nearly all home owners.
This latest AGM I found the way that they announced the new board members very strange. Mr Coleman just said that we will run with the same members as last year and does anyone have a issue with it. Am I wrong in saying that there are quite a few names missing from the list he has read out? Mr Coleman did not say anything about members resigning or leaving. If there are members missing he should have said so and ask us to elect others in their place - not so? Can anyone tell us if there are members missing from this year's board, that we elected last year?
I ask all home owners to give this blog support and register so that we can all discuss topics of mutual interest. On this blog we can debate, ask others for advice, give opinions and suggestions and we can even have a vote on certain issues of interest. People can share good news for example births, weddings or any other pleasant happenings with all of us. At sad times we can offer some sort of moral support as well. It is important to note that this is a forum for discussions of all topics of interest related to our estate. Anything that's on your mind is welcome.
My Afrikaans is nie baie goed nie julle, maar julle moet maar verskoon, as foute insluip. Ek sal my bes probreer, met die hulp van 'n Afrikaans sprekende dame. Ek is aangesê deur my ander helfte om 'n stuk in Afrikaans te skryf, sodat die huis eienaars almal kan weet, julle is welkom om in julle eie taal ook te skryf.
Ek kon nou die dag nie my oë glo, tot ek 'n hoender en kuikentjies in die straat sien rond skarrel nie. Weet mense nie dis teen die munisipaliteits reëls om hoenders aan te hou in 'n dorps gebied nie. Wel, ek sê julle nou, die eerste oggend dat 'n hoender haan my wakker kraai - daai aand kry my familie hoender of sal ek liewer sê, haan pastei vir aand ete.
Nog 'n interessante ding wat ek so tussen my kuiers teë gekom het, is die snaakse name wat mense aan sekere huise toegeken het. Daar is byvoorbeeld die perdtjie huis, Durban se hawe, Randse lughawe kontrole toring, die Angelikaanse kerk en die lollipop huis. Ek verstaan, ons kry eersdaags 'n NG kerk huis ook. Weet iemand nog van ander snaakse name - laat weet ons bietjie.
Well, I hope we all are going to find this blog useful and enjoy the interaction.
Until later
