WORD FROM THE DEVELOPER

Jess Quinn

Gideon van der Vyver

We start to feel a nip in the evening air as we enter autumn, and say goodbye to summer. This change of seasons can be disheartening, but we should rather seek enjoyment and inspiration from autumn. This is a time of colour, when the leaves display a spectrum of shades, a time for harvesting and abundance and a time for nesting. This edition of Serengeti Insider is filled with news from the various componential facilities including the opening of the Curro Serengeti Academy, our conservation committee introducing tortoises onto the estate and SADV launching the much anticipated On-line Community Portal .... So enjoy this autumn with us at Serengeti. Show your true ‘autumn’ colours, harvest and enjoy the rewards of your efforts and work, and create a comfortable, happy nest or place for yourself, whether its on the golf course, in the school or in your home on the estate. Enjoy the read!

EDITOR

THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF THE SERENGETI GOLF & WILDLIFE ESTATE AUTUMN EDITION NO. 6

MARCH 2012

SERENGETI INSIDER

Everyone involved in property including developers, investors, homeowners and economists , would love to know what’s going to happen for the remainder of 2012…and generally the latter will endeavour to interpret key leading indicators, but at best this only sets the scene within which decisions have to be made. Taking a snapshot view of “Serengeti” in autumn 2012, we are pleased with the level of confidence shown in the spectrum of Serengeti products. This includes property sales, the number of new building plans submitted for approval per month, the number of new homes under construction, the successful opening of Curro Serengeti Academy and new development projects released on the estate, all of which by far outperform national averages. With “investment confidence” being one such key leading indicator used to determine the status of the national property industry, Serengeti is performing exceptional well ! The level of activity on the estate is a positive endorsement, prompting further market interest. 2012 will be picking up momentum with the construction of the first phase of Whistling Thorn residential apartments as well as the first office block in The Quarter, commencing soon. The planning of the 2012 SA Open Championship should also stimulate greater activity. Fortunately the Easter week-end is at hand, for many a time to regroup and be revitalised. It is on this positive note that we want to wish all our friends and the Serengeti family a blessed Easter season, filled with the God of love, peace and hope

Home of the

SCHOOL NOTES

CURRO SERENGETI PRE-PRIMARY, PRIMARY & HIGH SCHOOL

Curro Serengeti Academy has reached the end of its first term and we feel extremely exhilarated and proud if we consider how smoothly and positively our planning has and still is falling into place. We have been very active in preparing facilities including the installation of cricket nets and grassing of our hockey fields, extending the parking area as well as beautifying the premises by planting trees and landscaping gardens. Whilst this is all happening myself and my staff continue to work on new ideas and plans for the school, and we believe that in partnership with the Serengeti Golf & Wildlife Estate, we can only go from strength to strength. Curro Serengeti Academy had the privilege of John-Laffnie De Jager, address our High School pupils this term. John-Laffnie is a South African former tour professional tennis player, a doubles specialist. He reached the semi-finals for three different grand slam tournaments three times in three different years partnering three different fellow South African players. He is the current non-playing captain of the South African Davis Cup team. JL and his team did a skills based demonstration with the full primary school during the same week. We are delighted to announce that John-Laffnie is running the JL Tennis Academy at Curro Serengeti. For queries regarding tennis lessons for children, please contact Daleen Luus on 082 434 3350 and adult tennis, including cardio-tennis (tennis aerobics) you can contact Elsje on 072 611 9582. Refer to website www.jlstennis.com for more information regarding the JL Tennis Academy Our rugby, cricket, hockey, netball, soccer and tennis players have been practicing hard and we have been impressed by the amount of enthusiasm show by both learners to participate and the staff to train the teams. Our rugby 7’s and netball girls performed exceptionally well at the Northern inter Curro 7’s and netball tournament in March. Our U15 side was awarded the MCS floating trophy, after winning matches against Maranatha and Shangri-la. Our U19 side won one, lost one and drew one match in the same tournament. We look forward to an exciting and successful second term, filled with events and activities, once we return on 11 April, after our Easter break.

John-laffnie de Jager former tour professional tennis player and current non-playing captain of the SA Davis Cup team. John-laffnie is running the tennis academy at the new school campus.

For queries, please contact us on the following numbers : Pre primary school: 011 552 7300 Primary & High school : 011 552 7080/1/2

“Curro Serengeti Academy leads with pride while the others follow!”

Anthony Edewards

Executive Head:

Curro Serengeti Academy

Congratulations to our rugby players who have done extremely well this term with the U15 side winning the MCS Floating Trophy.

Ryan Reid

GOLF CLUB REVIEW

GREEN FINGER TIPS We discussed permaculture gardening in the previouis newsletter and just to re-cap, permaculture is low-cost and low-maintenance orientated, with the added benefit of fresh organic produce at your kitchen doorstep! A presentation will take place on Saturday, 5th May at the Serengeti Lifestyle Centre followed by a workshop on 12th and 13th May 2012. The workshop will be presented and facilitated by Jamie Shepherd, an experienced and creative permaculture and hydrology expert currently based in St. Lucia, KZN. Jamie has been instrumental in initiating and driving a government-sponsored project in the area that has established nearly 200 authentic permaculture gardens for local people living in a village just outside St. Lucia in the Dukuduku Forest and trained them to maintain the gardens to improve food security and quality for the local people. The aim at the same time is to effect re-forestation by improving the condition of this fast-dwindling forest’s degraded soil and plant undergrowth. You will be part of a team that actually sets up the first permaculture garden at the Serengeti nursery during the weekend, so expect to get your hands dirty and to work up a sweat. As a result, you will leave the course knowing exactly how to apply the theory and philosophy of permaculture to design and set up your own permaculture garden in a matter of only a couple of days. You will receive a free copy of Jamie’s e-book 'The Lazy Man's Guide to Growing Highly Nutritious Food' when you book and pay for the workshop to help prepare you for it. For more information or to book for the workshop, please contact 071 853 2368 or

jono@lifebuild.com.

Deon Van Rensburg

Serengeti Lifestyle Centre

We are delighted to report such encouraging numbers in membership sales this quarter! Our membership tree has branched and grown at a phenomenal rate, if we consider the ‘acorn’ we were just 3 years ago!

PROPERTY SALES & MARKETING

John Hart

A total of 78 members have joined us in just three months from the beginning of 2012. We currently have 379 members with a total target of 800 to work towards! Of the 379 members, 54 are junior members and 56 are lady members which is particularly impressive! A special thank you to our Membership Consultant, Francis Keyter, for all her hard work in helping to achieve these sales. We are also proud of the 5 star service award which we recently received from Compleat Golfer – another accolade to hang high on our branches! Our calendar of events holds many exciting occasions in store for us this year, and we particularly look forward to another hosting of the SA Open Championship, which takes place towards the end of November. Happy Golfing !

The property sales team have been extremely busy this first quarter, which is encouraging news! As the estate develops, the product offering diversifies and we see that visitors are not just showing interest in stands, but in house sales and rentals . We have received a good response thus far to the release of the Whistling Thorn residential apartments and first phase of the Lifestyle Office complex – the Quarter. The property sales team will soon be launching the ‘Serengeti Loyalty Program’ - an exciting opportunity, beneficial to home owners . Contact the sales consultants on 0861 396 396 for further details. Wishing you all a very Happy Easter !

Shaun Barkhuizen. SADV

CHEF’S CORNER

Executive Chef

Gavin Wilken

Bon Appétit !

Olive and feta pasta Serves 4 Ingredients 1 tbsp olive oil 1350 gram uncooked spaghetti 00 gram button mushroom 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 small baby marrow sliced Dried or fresh oregano to taste Salt and pepper to taste 12 black olives pitted 120gr crumbled feta cheese Directions 1.Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente, drain 2.Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and sauté the garlic 2 minutes. 3. Mix in mushrooms and baby marrow. 4. Season with oregano, salt and pepper 5. Stir in olives and cook until heated through. 6. Place pasta in the skillet ,toss to coat, continue cooking for two about two minutes. Top with feta and serve

SA Digital Villages and Serengeti recently launched the Serengeti Online Community Portal (www.portal.serengeti.co.za) ! This has been an exciting and challenging project for the development team who has spent many months designing and creating this phenomenal product. The Serengeti Online Community Portal is not a marketing web site but rather a tool that is functional and informative, used for the dissemination of information for the benefit of residents and the SPOA. Certain portions of the Serengeti Online Community Portal are available to the public. In the recent launch mailer, home owners received their username and password for private access. They can access information such as the Serengeti Visitor Announcement System, telephone directories, billing information and other private information. We welcome feedback on the Portal, so please feel free to drop a line to info@sadigitalvillages.co.za Congratulations to the first 12 winners who all submitted correct entries to the Portal launch competition question. Each of these home owners won a meal voucher for the Deck Restaurant: Stephen Joyce Ruan Kukard Paul Curnow Melissa Goodhead Seppie Venter Reg Eggett Peet van Deventer Debbie Watson Silivia Kellerman Gustav Botes Mary Farrell Would these winners please remember to collect your prize from EMC reception.

BITS & BYTES

Leaves

Ever taken the time to think about the life of a leaf?

Our lives and personalities are like that of a leaf! We are all different; of different colour, have different life spans and live in

different geographic areas. Some of us are tougher than others, withstanding the heat and blows in life and battling against harmful bugs , insects and other dangers. Some of us are more fragile and we wither and

die all too easily when faced with a challenge.

Like leaves, we have different passions and aspirations. Some of us bend towards the light, some need to touch the flowing water and some need to feel the joy of the wind! We can not exist independently of each other, all forming part of a tree and working for a greater cause for the benefit of us

all.

Our tree of leaves is much like Serengeti – a thriving, growing community of individuals, supportive of both our environment and fellow members!

WILDLIFE & CONSERVATION

By Gordon Breetzke

Query it … 011 552 7000 or email jessica@serengeti.co.za www.serengeti.co.za

In this autumn edition, I will be focusing on some of our cold blooded vertebrate friends that live with us at Serengeti . There are a variety of reptiles right on our door step including, snakes, tortoises and, soon to be released, a Monitor Lizard....... Our golf course is over populated with Egyptian Geese and Monitor Lizards feed on the geese eggs. This reptile would then provide an essential chain in this ecosystem, helping to reduce our geese problem. There have been plenty of snake sighting with many removed from private gardens and once again we warn residents not to try catch snakes themselves. Please contact the Control Room on 011 552 7008 for assistance. A number of small tortoises (Leopard Tortoise) have been released , so keep your eyes open for these as well, although as winter approaches, our reptiles are likely to either go into hibernation or become less active during the colder months. A conservation committee has recently been formed. if you are interested in joining, please contact the EMC office at 011 552 7000 or myself on 082 709 0632 or email gordon@akh.co.za With the formation of this committee we hope that the Serengeti conservation initiatives receive more local attention and support and that they develop into larger, more successful projects.

Gordon Breetzke

Serengeti Conservation

Monitor Lizard Leopard Tortoise

The first three months of 2012 have gone by in a flash!!! The building process within the estate is gathering momentum, and all indications show that we will hit the 200 mark for the number of occupied dwellings by the end of 2012. With the number of families increasing on a monthly basis we have identified a need to officially “welcome” all new residents. Our first welcoming session will take place at the end of April hosted by a Welcoming Committee. Similar to the ‘Building Information Session’ which aims to assist the home owner in the process of building, making it as smooth as possible; the welcome session will provide information relevant to living on the estate. Such information will include estate services, rules and regulations. This will also create an opportunity for residents to raise any queries they may have. We welcome any feedback from home owners regarding the above. The SPOA wish all Serengeti families a happy Easter and trust that the children will enjoy their holiday.

FROM THE DESK OF THE ESTATE MANAGER

.

Some interesting Stats:

369 plans received

278 approved stage 02

89 conditional app. (stage 01 – 02)

146 resident families on the estate

72 homes under construction

Hannes Hendriks