SOUTHBROOM NEWS - JANUARY 2009

A SOUTHBROOM RATEPAYERS, CONSERVANCY & COMMUNITY POLICING INITIATIVE.

This newsletter is intended for ratepayers & residents of Southbroom, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.  Click to Unsubscribe if you do not wish to receive it, or click Subscribe if you did not receive it direct.

>>JACK RUSSELL FOUND IN BARNSTABLE ROAD, SOUTHBROOM - MONDAY 19 JANUARY 2009

Is this your dog? Or do you think you know where he belongs?

He is very cute, friendly and obedient, and mixes well with other dogs.

He arrived bedraggled and hungry at 7 Barnstable Road, Southbroom on Monday morning 19 January 2009. 

He is a male Jack Russell, mainly black and white with tan on his face.

Please help the little chap find his way home. Hopefully he is a local and has not been left behind by his "returning-home" family.

Call 083-292-7788

Thanks.

>> SOUTHBROOM RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION: AGM

Dear Friends

Sincere thanks to all of you who made my 6 years in the chair of Southbroom Ratepayers Association worth the effort. Thank you for allowing me to serve you, especially when I so desperately needed a cause to keep me focused and busy.

Today, I am in need of time for myself. Time to enjoy a good book, my home, my golf, my friends, and it is time that I make way for new blood to take the Association higher.

I wish the new chair, Bruce Mackenzie, and his committee every success and trust that they too will find fulfilment in community service.

Southbroom's well-being will always be close to my heart and I continue to serve you as Secretary of the HCM Ward 1 Committee.

Kind regards

Joy Crutchfield

THE CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT HAS BEEN POSTED ON THE WEBSITE. CLICK HERE TO GO THERE

Majority voted that:

• The committee continue to uphold the town planning scheme

• Main beach tidal pool be demolished and removed.

>> HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE CONSERVANCY AGM

Clearing invasives

To date, this has been the main task of the Conservancy but this year there is a shift to more planting of indigenous vegetation.

The conservancy pioneers Pam Quarmby and Libby Cochrane have from the start, over 5 years ago, introduced planting as well as clearing; at the South Entrance, Pearl McGregor and Leslie Savage have splendidly enriched this approach road with indigenous planting; but, on the Bushbuck Trail and Frederika Nature Preserve the battle against the invasives has been too intensive to allow time for indigenous planting. But after more than 4 years, invasive regrowth has declined significantly and the indigenous undergrowth appears to be taking over again. However beware! - the battle will always have to be fought.

Following the excellent start at the North Entrance, planting of indigenous ground cover along Southbroom Ave and the areas adjoining the library roundabout and municipal offices has been carried out. Much of the planting material has been retrieved from garden clearing. Please let the Conservancy know when such material is available . Owner initiatives of indigenous planting on verges adjoining their property, for example 33 Churchill, are also welcomed.

Projects 2008

2 new projects were completed:

Churchill Road access to the Bushbuck Trail (BBT).

The BBT area includes a large piece of land which abuts Churchill Rd close to its eastern junction with Exeter Rd. This land has now been cleared including over 100 small to medium self-seeded pine trees which were beginning to take over as well as many large lantana bushes.. The choked grassland area and several aloes responded very quickly.

The trail descends steeply via over 100 new steps to an existing BBT path. It is planned to locate a bench alongside the trail with good views of the forest canopy. Directional signs from the BBT are now complete.

Alien Invasive and flowering Indigenous Shrubs/Trees displays - Eyles Park

The displays aim to assist residents/owners to identify the worst and most common alien invasives. Further help can be obtained from the excellent new WESSA handbook "Invasive Alien Plants in KZN - Management and Control".

Two serious newer invaders which need close attention are Pom Pom weed which rapidly appears to be a very serious threat to grasslands and Ageratum. Sword Fern remains a major problem throughout our area.

The flowering indigenous shrubs, trees and ground cover displayed are generally easy to purchase and grow. Some are prone to "buck nibbling" but can be protected with wire mesh in the early growth stages.

Both areas can be expanded and suggestions of new additions or omissions are welcomed.

Our thanks to Dick Plaistowe, Mossie Wouters and David and Sally Wigley for completing these projects.

Thanks also to Hibiscus Coast Municipality for their grant to assist with the Churchill Rd extension project.

Project- 2009

The old garden refuse dump which adjoins the Eyles Road entrance to the BBT is probably one of the worst invasive alien areas in the village. It "specialises" in Syringa, Bugweed, Castor and Lantana!

The clearing of the invasives and planting with indigenous trees, shrubs and ground cover together with a new trail through the area which links to the existing BBT trails is the selected project for 2009. This project is also the focus of our 2009 Hibiscus grant in aid application.

NEW COMMITTEE DETAILS

SOUTHBROOM RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION

Chair: Bruce Mackenzie

Deputy: Doug Campbell

Secretary: Sandy Wright

Treasurer: Graham Volck

Kingsley du Plessis

Dick Plaistowe

Phone: 039-316-8786

Fax: 039-316-8771

Mobile: 083-702-1311

Email: southbroom@telkomsa.net

Postal address:

P O Box 13,

Southbroom, 4277

SOUTHBROOM COMMUNITY POLICING FORUM

Chair: Dick Holtshausen

Deputy: Kingsley du Plessis

Secretary: Vacant

Treasurer: Joy Crutchfield

Vaughan Beesley

Bennie Kruger

Paul Reynolds

HCM - Victor Chetty

HCM - Dave Middleton

SAPS - Morris Moodley

SAPS - Welcome Shusha

Phone: 039-316-8543

Fax: 039-316-8543

Mobile: 083-306-1672

Email: southbroom@icon.co.za

Postal address:

P O Box 13,

Southbroom, 4277

SOUTHBROOM CONSERVANCY

Chair: David Halle

Deputy: David Wigley

Secretary: Pearl McGregor

Treasurer: Bob Kempthorne

Peddy Bam

Heather Campbell

Val Holtshausen

Mike Lyall

Nicola MacKenzie

Ted Rudzinski

Les Savage

Richard Savage

Phone: 039-312-2448

Fax: 039-312-2448

Mobile: 082-300-4283

Email:

marfurn@telkomsa.net

Postal address:

P O Box 13,

Southbroom, 4277

2009 SUBSCRIPTIONS ARE NOW DUE

SOUTHBROOM RATEPAYERS ASSOCIATION

R100 per stand per annum

Standard Bank

Margate 057528

Acc. 053386744

SOUTHBROOM CONSERVANCY

R200 per stand per annum

Nedbank

Port Shepstone 139828

Acc. 1398104930

IMPORTANT NOTICES

TREAT YOUR SEPTIC TANK REGULARLY

Join the fight against E. Coli.

 Product available at

Southbroom Supermarket

SUPPORT THE 2009 CONSERVANCY GOLF DAY

2008 Conservancy Golf Day was a huge success thanks to generous sponsorship received and the efforts of the convening committee.

Please support the 2009 event.

Contact Val Holtshausen or Pearl McGregor, or e-mail valholt@mweb.co.za

SOUTHBROOM LIBRARY

For your reading pleasure ...

and for art, tea, coffee & biscotti !

VISIT US ON:

Tuesdays: 09h00 - 16h00

Thursdays: 09h00 - 16h00

Saturdays: 09h00 - 11h00

DATES TO DIARISE

PICNIC, GLOW WORMS AND MUSIC IN EYLES PARK

DISPLAY OF INDIGENOUS  AND ALIEN INVADER PLANTS

EASTER BEACH WALK IMPENJATI TO SOUTHBROOM

Bring your sundowners and deck chairs and enjoy a relaxed evening in the park at 17h30 on Thursday 12 March.

Arrive at 16h30 for a guided walk of the Bushbuck Trail.

(If it rains, meet on Friday 13 March 2009).

Visit the permanent display of alien invaders and indigenous alternatives at the entrance to Eyles Park.

This is a Southbroom Conservancy initiative to  preserve our natural heritage.

View anytime, rain or shine!

Meet at Riptide, Southbroom at 07h00 on Good Friday. The tide will be perfect for the walk from Impenjati to Southbroom.

Transport to the start will be arranged and the walk back to Riptide takes between 2 and 3 hours.