Principal's Pen June 2016

Norgarb properties, your one-stop property specialists in Harfield Village and surrounds are continually surveying the property trends in the various areas.  As they care for you, the client, and because of their expertise they can advise you, the developer, owner or investor what is happening with regards to developments in the area.  Investors, both local and foreign, are looking at the greater Cape Town area as a sure investment.  There are new developments being built all over.  

One of which is the new development in Kenilworth which shows a growing investor confidence. 

81 Kenilworth Road is a contemporary, classic style apartment block conveniently situated in the heart of the Southern Suburbs.  This development is so well located that it allows for easy access onto all major freeways connecting to Cape Town, as well as the buzz of Harfield.  It is also conveniently close to public transport, a variety of restaurants and coffee shops, a short distance from Cavendish Square, and on the Jammie Shuttle route to the University.

Another exciting development worthy of note, is the Redevelopment of the Kenilworth Race Course area along Rosmead Avenue and Wetton Road. MLH Architects have submitted a rezoning proposal to council.  The concept which is designed to make the development part of the community is perhaps one which should be supported but noting that it will impact on traffic flow and add a security risk.  What is pleasing to see in the proposal is the creation of an "activity" street with offices, shops & restaurants running parallel to Rosmead Avenue between the existing grandstand and Rosmead Avenue; the construction of an upmarket hotel with underground parking facing Rosmead Avenue and an upmarket restaurant in the existing Herbert Baker heritage building which will be restored. 

A "Palmyra Junction" style retail development is also planned for on the opposite corner to the present BP garage site as well as an office block with residential apartments on the top floor and a 370 unit residential development is to be built on Wetton Road. Building height restrictions apply along Rosmead Avenue.

The racecourse boundary wall along Rosmead will come down making the development part of the community.  Furthermore, no trees on Rosmead Avenue will be removed and existing trees within the site will be protected.  With regards to the Racecourse area, which is thought to be beneficial to the area, is the fact that the existing stables are to be upgraded to world-class standards.  All parking for the proposed development will be accommodated within the site. Rosmead Avenue itself will be improved making it 4 lanes between Wetton and Kenilworth Roads and traffic lights will be installed at the intersection of Bathurst with Rosmead.  A proper pavement and cycle track will be incorporated along Rosmead Avenue.

With all of this in mind, the Southern Suburbs will become a development hub within the next few months.  The trend seems to be towards upgrading existing properties and developing new, modern yet contemporary buildings which should enhance the area and the property prices.  We, at Norgarb Properties have your interests at heart, and will continue to keep abreast of happenings in and around Harfield Village.

Nausea and vomiting dog

This month we are going to talk about some of the causes of vomiting in your dog and when you need to take action and get help.

WHY IS MY DOG VOMITING?

It is not unusual for a dog to vomit every now and again. He may have eaten something revolting he found in the garden or just have finished his food too quickly. However, vomiting can also be an indication of a more serious condition that requires veterinary attention. If your dog vomits more than a couple of times in one day, seems lethargic and disinterested in food, you should seek veterinary attention.

CAUSES OF SUDDEN OR ACUTE VOMITING.

There are numerous reasons why your dog may suddenly start to vomit. Vomiting can be related to gastrointestinal and systemic disorders such as:

·       bacterial infection of the gastrointestinal tract

·       food intolerance, diet change

·       ingestion of a foreign object eg: bones, toys, stones or toxic substances

·       intestinal parasites

·       acute liver failure

·       pancreatitis

·       colitis

·       viral infections eg; parvovirus

·       heatstroke

·       diabetes

The list of causes is almost endless but you can help your vet make a differential diagnosis by giving as much information as you can.

E.g;

How often is your dog vomiting ? Is it before or after food?

Is your dog still eating?

Does your dog also have diarrhoea or is he constipated?

What does the stool look like?

Have you seen blood in the vomit or diarrhoea?

Is your dog still active or lethargic

Is your dog drinking more/less?

Has he lost weight?

WHAT CAN YOUR VET DO?

Once your vet has got a good medical history from you, he will do a thorough examination of your pet. It may be necessary to collect blood, urine and/or faecal samples in order to run diagnostic tests.

Your vet may also want to take x rays or do ultrasound to rule out foreign bodies etc. In this way your vet will be able to make the most informed diagnosis possible.

TREATMENT

Treatment will depend very much on the vet’s findings and the severity of the vomiting. Simple cases should respond quickly, a course of antibiotics, diet change and drugs to help control the vomiting may be all that is required to put your pet back on the road to health. However, in serious cases eg; those complicated by an underlying systemic disease, may require hospitalisation. Vomiting dogs, particularly the very young and very old, can become dehydrated quickly, putting extra pressure on vital organs. Fluid therapy via an intra venous drip may be needed in order to rehydrate him.

In conclusion, if your dog is vomiting don’t ignore it and if you are concerned your vet is there to help.

Kenilworth Vet

EASY SAVOURY BISCUITS

INGREDIENTS:

1 PKT WHITE OR BROWN ONION SOUP

250 GMS MARGARINE OR BUTTER

320 GMS FLOUR

METHOD:

Melt butter and mix altogether. 

Roll into balls and put on greased baking tray. 

Flatten with fork. 

Bake at 180 for 10 minutes or until golden.

Quick and Delicious!

~***~

“I have been an agent for over 30 years and have an excellent track record in the Southern Suburbs area. I am professional, love what I do and put my heart and soul into every aspect of my work.”

Lyn Staples

Estate Agent

Cell: +27 (0)82 846 0739    |   Office: +27 (0)21 674 1120     |    Fax: +27 (0)21 774 4927

Email:lyn@norgarbproperties.co.za

Focus Areas:  Kenilworth & Claremont Village

A community with security layers

As communities, we are having to revise our approach when dealing with security issues on a regular basis.

There are many contributing factors as to why one security model has never, and can never, work.

1. Our local Policing structure has changed drastically over the last decade. We are currently in an age where private secuirty companies out-gun, out-man and out-vehicle our SAPS force 7:1. 

We therefore cannot rely on visible policing and effective policing to be done by a SAPS force that is so heavily under staffed and under resourced.

2. CCTV is a great way to cover a large area, however, with no man-power on the ground, the information gathered from these CCTV groups are useless, as a camera cannot affect an arrest. The use of cloned and stolen license plates also make it difficult for accurate intel to be gathered by these CCTV group and therefore verification by men on the ground is of the utmost importance.

3. Neighbourhood Watches are becoming more and more important to mobilise communities. With the countless eyes and ears on the ground just reporting constant communication and suspicious behaviour, their intel is invaulable. Neighbourhood Watches, however, are also relient on SAPS/security personel on the ground, as trained individuals to affect arrests.

4. Private Security Companies are more accountable than SAPS for what happens in and around your community. The more impact your organisation has on a community, the more market share you receive. Although security personel are trained and armed, we still rely on SAPS to formally charge suspects so that the detecives can process and present the case in court

As you will see, the above four layers are dependant on one another, and if a community gets the right mix, your layered approach to your security will have a positive result.

It is important to remember that not one of the above is good on its own, as we are entering an era where most people think CCTV is the only option. This is not the case.

Currently Whatsapp groups are being used to circulate information between the above members, which is a great form of getting information to move across quickly. We are lucky in Claremont Sector 1 and 4 to have an amazing Neighbourhood Watch (Harlyn NHW), and we should use this integration to our advantage to reduce our crime levels.

Princeton Armed Response

PROPERTY AGREEMENT ALTERATION – TAKE A MOMENT TO STEP BACK AND CONSIDER THE PITFALLS

Negotiating a sale agreement of a home involves a lot of to-ing and fro-ing between a seller and purchaser, as each party's interests must be addressed as satisfactorily as circumstances allow. Cooper v Clark So it was in the sale agreement under consideration in the April judgment in Cooper v Clark. The seller, Clark, received an offer from Cooper in respect of her R 6,3 property. Clark was 99% happy with the offer, although one or two things still bothered her. To make sure the deal is not lost, Clark made two amendments to the offer to make the whole agreement acceptable to her, and then signed it. One amendment had the effect of deleting a clause providing for a building inspector who would, at Cooper's own costs, make a list of defects in the property by a certain date. Before Cooper received a copy of the offer as 'signed and accepted' by Clark, she paid the deposit. Thus only when she subsequently received a copy, did she become aware of the amendments. She did not agree with these and argued in court that, as a result, no agreement came into operation. The law and practice In our law verbal agreements are generally valid and binding on the parties, with certain specific exceptions, property sale agreements being one of them. These agreements must be in writing and signed by the parties to be valid. The reason for this requirement is to reduce the risk of confusion or dispute as to what the buyer and seller have actually agreed. In practice, a buyer will usually make an initial offer to purchase to the seller, by completing and signing the pre-printed form supplied by the estate agent. This is then presented to the seller via the estate agent. The document (offer) only becomes a valid and binding agreement if the seller accepts the buyer's offer, as is, by signing it. Often though, the initial offer sparks negotiation between the parties, usually over price or other important terms, with the result that the document is frequently amended. It is vital to ensure that any amendment have actually been agreed to by both seller and buyer. If this is not the case, then there clearly was no consensus (meeting of the minds) between the parties, meaning that the prerequisite for concluding a valid agreement is absent. As such, our law generally treats the agreement as void and of no effect whatsoever. The outcome in the Cooper case The court upheld Cooper's argument and ordered Clark to return the deposit. It noted that Clark's actions constituted a material alteration to the contractual terms (offered by Cooper) and pointed towards a conditional acceptance or counter-offer, requiring Cooper's further acceptance before an agreement came into existence. Avoid the trap! Make sure that any changes to sale documents correctly reflect your agreement, and that both parties sign or initial the changes in confirmation. And as always with property transactions, don't take any chances – contact an attorney before you put pen to paper. Have an expert property attorney on your side to make sure your transaction runs smoothly all the way.  Contact Martin Sheard at STBB's Claremont office on 021 673 4700 or on martins@stbb.co.za.

HVCID - JUNE

Dear Residents

NEED ASSISTANCE?

If you are experiencing technical issues with your alarm system or ADT billing queries, then do not hesitate to contact our Manager, Jenni Coleman. She has direct contacts at ADT and as a result has been very successful in ensuring residents' queries are answered promptly and solutions to problems found. Jenni can be contacted between Monday to Friday from 8am to 6pm on 081 412 6109 or e-mail her at admin@hvcid.co.za

VEHICLE SECURITY TIPS FROM ADT

• Always keep your vehicle in a mechanically sound condition in order to avoid breakdowns of any kind. This is when you are most vulnerable.
• Ensure that your vehicle has a lockable fuel tank cap.
• Ensure that your vehicle has an efficient immobiliser and alarm, if possible. Carry a vehicle steering wheel lock and use it whenever you leave and lock your car.

   Things to carry in your vehicle:

• A tow rope
• Jumper leads for your battery
• A torch or spotlight which must be regularly tested
• A road map
• Any medical alert information regarding your health and requirements
• A complete first aid kit
• A fire extinguisher that is suitable for vehicle fires.

   Things not to be left in your vehicle:

• The vehicle registration papers
• Any documents giving your name and address, or those of your family
• Family photographs
• Firearms
• Vehicle and house keys
• Cheque books and credit cards
• Anything of value that might tempt someone to break into your vehicle, like car radios, CD players and CDs

Kind regards

JENNI COLEMAN

Manager - Harfield Village Community Improvement District (HVCID)

admin@hvcid.co.za            +27 (0)81 412 6109

Skills Alone Won't Secure that Job

There is often disbelief when senior candidates fail to secure sought after positions, especially when they are appropriately experienced, with a good education.

We also see it with executives who assumed they would be in line for promotion due to their status and tenure, but who are passed over.

So why is this?

The fact is skills and experience alone won’t necessarily get you the job. In order to compete effectively in this highly competitive market, people need to adapt themselves to changing needs and criteria.

Skills, education and experience are of course crucial, but todays hiring managers review these proficiencies in conjunction with softer skills to ensure a more successful fit.

‘Fit’ can include aspects such as managerial or leadership style, personality, behaviours, mind-set, personal presentation, ethics, worldview and adaptability.

The reasons behind this are solid. Poor hiring decisions are costly in more ways than one. Hiring someone with a weak cultural fit can create internal polarisation, work force disruption, loss of key staff and revenue.

According to a 2012 CareerBuilder poll, 69% of companies surveyed experienced a bad hire that year. Of those companies, 41% said that the bad hire cost them US$25k and 24% said it cost them over US$50k.

According to a 7 Geese post, the Competency Iceberg model shows 20% of an individual (above the surface of an iceberg) is made up of technical competency, whereas 80% (hidden below the surface of the iceberg) is all about the essence of the person, such as values and beliefs.

* image source managementstudyguide.com

Technical skills can be trained, but not cultural fit.

So what can be done to increase a person’s chances of being a good fit? Most people are held back in their personal development by a lack of self-awareness. People know what-they-know and don’t know what-they-don’t-know, until someone points it out.

It’s difficult to be objective about ourselves, and in reality, how others experience us is quite often different to what we think.

Gaining self-awareness enables people to lift their rose-tinted glasses and break self-limiting traits and reshape their communication and behavioural styles. And just as important, it helps us recognise the impact we have on others. Someone who is aware of his or her blind spots is much more valuable than one who isn’t.

The most successful individuals are those who embrace change and nurture a desire to learn, grow and adapt. It’s never too late to enhance your personal offering and become more competitive in the market place.

 About the Author

After several years in corporate finance and a decade in c-suite executive search, Madge Gibson now heads up The CHANGE Initiative (Pty) Ltd – an Outplacement company based in South Africa.

Email address: madge@thechangeinitiative.co.za

Company website:  http://www.thechangeinitiative.co.za/

Switchboard number: (021) 683 0485

Article by Madge Gibson for

www.harfield-village.co.za

www.facebook.com/harfield.village.community

Winter Warmers - Kim Hofmann, Dietitian

Yes, it is confirmed, winter is with us, and all of a sudden you feel like you need that little bit of extra food, and slowly, slowly the kg’s are creeping up again. 

But why is it that this happens EVERY winter?  

Why can’t you just keep on eating those lovely salads and delicious fruit and feel satisfied? Because it is winter, and it seems that in winter we crave a little more nurture to make up for the cold.  So if you try to stick to your normal ‘summer’ menu, you will find yourself searching for more food to ‘fill the gap’. 

So how can we ‘fill the gap’ without gaining unwanted weight?

From a food perspective

Make use of ‘warmer’ foods - the cold foods are just not cutting it right now!

· Have porridge for breakfast instead of the usual cereal with milk or yoghurt – make the porridge interesting e.g. add cinnamon or vanilla essence to your oats porridge or chop in some apple or berries.

· Have stewed fruit for a snack.  Or simply place your apple in the microwave for a couple of minutes.  Makes for a much more nurturing snack than biting into a cold apple! A baked apple stuffed with raisins and served with lite custard is a great snack or winter pudding.

· Instead of yoghurt, heat a mug of milk and add a teaspoon of hot chocolate/milo (or a teaspoon of chi tea if you are feeling decadent) as an excellent nurturing snack.

· Hearty thick soups are fantastic as lunch or supper, or use low calorie vegetable soups to sip on at snack times – they are great as nurture foods as they take longer to eat as well as warm you up!

And remember, because we need more nurture in the winter months, make an added effort to always sit down and enjoy your food.

From a non-food perspective

It is so important to have some nurture occasions and events that DON’T include food.  Make a list of the things that you enjoy and make sure that you have about half an hour (even 5 – 10 minutes can make a difference) to yourself enjoying a nurture treat.  These can be things like walking, gym, reading a book or magazine, taking a bath, starting a hobby.  So make your own list and remember that you deserve some time out where you are number one!

FREE SOUP

Rooibos and Spinach Soup

300g fresh spinach, well rinsed

1 chicken breast

salt and pepper to taste

4 spring onions, chopped

30ml cake flour

4 chicken stock cubes, dissolved in 1 litre hot rooibos tea

100ml plain, fat free yoghurt

Strip the leaves from the hard stalks of the spinach and chop the leaves very finely.  Season chicken with salt and pepper and fry in one of the stock cubes dissolved in a small amount of boiling water until cooked. Remove from saucepan, cube and keep aside. 

Sauté spring onions in a small amount of the above mentioned liquid.  Add spinach and stir-fry for 3 minutes.  Add cake flour and mix well. Add rest of chicken stock slowly while stirring. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15minutes.  Add cooked chicken cubes and simmer for further 5 minutes.  

Serve with yoghurt garnish.

Kim Hofmann

Dietitian