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| Foreword With Mark Taylor |
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July has been an incredible month for us at the eLan Group! We have taken transfer of the land at Blythedale Coastal Resort, won the prestigious KZN Top Business Award, and launched the eLan Foundation. It almost seems iniquitous to list the achievements in one sentence…
The land transfer of Blythedale Coastal Resort is probably the largest that this province has seen in terms of residential property and one the deeds office is happy to process no doubt!
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What this means for our investors is that we will soon be breaking ground and commencing with the civil infrastructure, to be carried out by WBHO and Teichmann Civils.
The KZN Top Business Award was awarded in favour of the BCR partnership and it is at this juncture that I would like to extend my personal thanks and appreciation to the dedicated team from the Dube Community, iLembe District Municipality, KwaDukuza Municipality, Department of Land Affairs and New Guelderland Sugar Estate who have made it all possible
The eLan Foundation is something that has always been one of the driving forces behind my vision for property development - the ability to bring people along with us, uplift communities and improve lives. Read more about it, and our vision in the newsletter.
Warmest regards,
Group CEO
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| Blyhtedale Coastal Resort Wins Top Partnership Award... |
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At the First National Bank KZN Top Business
Portfolio Awards held this month, Blythedale
Coastal Resort won the top award of the
evening, the Partnership Award. |
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The collaboration between these entities brought the landmark land claim resolution to Blythedale Coastal Resort in April this year. Recognition for this process is extremely rewarding and the group effort between the different entities shows what can be achieved when everyone is working towards one common goal and where everyone benefits!
This award reflects the importance of effective public / private sector partnerships and was given to the eLan Group, the Dube Community, iLembe District Municipality, the SA Department of Human Settlements, KwaDukuza Local Municipality, New Guelderland Sugar Estates and the Department of Land Affairs.
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Front row: Musa Dube, Thami Dube,
Thami Kamanga, Sthuthuzeli Zimu.
Middle row: Di Stewart, Protas Zuma, Mark Taylor. Back row: Rodger Stewart, Ray Ninela
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| The eLan Foundation |
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Working towards improving the lives of local communities surrounding eLan Developments, the eLan Foundation is a NPO which steers and manages the social initiatives within the eLan Group. It is used as a mechanism to raise funding and fulfil the needs of these communities. The objectives of the Foundation are to research needs and identify opportunities that exist in communities that surround our developments and as far as possible, to integrate or cross-pollinate existing projects so that every effort has maximum gain. The core principles are that the projects implemented must meet a basic need, must be sustainable and must leave a legacy.
All of our developments have such an influence on surrounding communities, and it's through linkages and partnerships that the positive affect of progress can be achieved. The eLan Group in its capacity as Property Developers will through private sector investment aim to initiate these projects and will aim to create a symbiotic relationship between the communities and the development at large.
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| The Worx Zone JHB launch |
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We will soon be bringing the investment concept of the Worx Zone to our JHB Investors. Click the button below if you and a friend would like to attend the JHB launch.
Please visit www.worx-zone.co.za to find out more about the Worx Zone.
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| Simbithi Country Club - building well underway... |
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Building of the new Country Club commenced in January and progress is well underway. The Club is due to be completed by the end of November 2009.
The clubhouse is being built around a magnificent wild fig tree with a large deck forming the focal point of the clubhouse. Designed by local architect Charles Taylor the clubhouse will characterize the architectural guidelines of Simbithi. It will incorporate a large lounge, restaurant and bar area, as well as smaller, more intimate spaces for private functions. A large multi-purpose hall will open up onto the top level and swimming pool to cater for residents' functions and weddings.
The existing clubhouse will remain open throughout the building process and once completed, will become a dedicated facility for the tennis courts and swimming pool and will be equipped with gym equipment.
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| Simbithi Equestrian Centre |
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Possibly the most well-loved horses on the North Coast, the Simbithi Equestrian Centre is my interpretation of a five star Horse Hotel! Managed by Sue Hill, an experienced competitor in jumping and showing in the UK for over 30 years, she brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to residents of Simbithi.
Currently home to six horses (Super Nova, Spotty, Prince, Talisman, Courage and Blueberry), the stables can accommodate 14 horses in total while the Centre incorporates nine paddocks, a large arena with jumps, a lunge ring and a community centre. The stables also house a tack room, feed room, office and grooms quarters (both living and day). With over 15 kilometres of routes around Simbithi, the estate provides wonderful out rides in this magnificent natural environment and provides the perfect way to view the wildlife.
Sue comments, "I love living at Simbithi and I love the fact that my kids have so much freedom! The trees and birds are wonderful and we see loads of animals. We have a white tailed mongoose that lives in our road and one morning I woke to see a little Duiker playing in the sand in the lunge arena! We have also spotted bushbuck running through the paddocks; they seem to be drawn to the horses"
A day in the life of a horse living on Simbithi.
Breakfast at 6:30 and into the fields by 7am for some fresh morning munching. While the horses are out the stables are cleaned and fresh hay and water is replaced. They come in for lunch at 12 and during lunch they are checked for ticks and then its back into the sunny paddocks. They return to the stables at 3pm for the evening with a full grooming and a check of the feet and a tick inspection. After this blankets are put on and dinner is served at 5pm. The resident groom also checks on them at night.. now that's service!
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| To purchase a stable at Simbithi contact |
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Alan Coetzer
Nicolette Buytendag
John Kruger
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082 508 7921
082 491 9289
082 891 2436
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alan@elan.co.za
nicolette@elan.co.za
john@elan.co.za
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| * Please note stables are only available for purchase to owners of Simbithi |
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| Somkhanda Lodges |
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The eLan Group is proud to announce that the existing lodges at Somkhanda Nature Reserve will be upgraded and managed by Signature Hotels and Resorts. There are two existing lodges at Somkhanda, namely; Milimane (20 sleeper) and Rolling Valley (16 sleeper) which both provide luxury living within pristine conservation land. Rolling Valley will be operational within a few weeks whilst Milimane will benefit from an additional 15 luxury tents and open later in the year.
Facilities at both lodges will include restaurant, bar, viewing decks, boma and swimming pools and will be the perfect, affordable destination for small weddings, conferences, corporate team-builds or just a quiet weekend away. Located close to the N2 and the new Mkhuze Airport, the lodges are accessible from Durban and Johannesburg.
Somkhanda is also one of the three areas chosen to partner WWF in their Black Rhino Range Expansion Project and residents and visitors will delight in game drives into the heart of the wilderness areas. Bird watching and hiking trails will bring them closer to nature and fishing enthusiasts will revel in the pursuit of the mighty Tiger Fish on Lake Jozini.
Watch this space for news on the opening of Rolling Valley lodge and as eLan Investor Club members you will be the first to know.
For booking information contact
Jenna Case jenna@elan.co.za
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| Planting Indigenous In Your Garden - Peter Coulon |
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Planting an indigenous garden is a way that you can create your little piece of nature, your mini garden nature reserve, and by doing so, contribute to biodiversity in your garden, neighbourhood and region. Indigenous gardens also create corridors for wildlife to be able to move from one large natural open space to another.
There are a number of reasons why one should actually consider planting indigenous.
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You have an amazing variety of plants to choose from in terms of shapes and size. |
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There are a number of coloured plants. |
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You will save water! Indigenous gardens are able to survive on less water than exotic gardens. |
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You will reduce costs of chemicals as the plants will be adapted to your garden and not have to be protected from insect life. |
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You will attract wildlife, including birds, insects, amphibians, small mammals, butterflies and reptiles into your garden. |
When planning an indigenous garden, try and create as much variety of plants and habitats as possible, this should include:
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Dense shrub areas, with a diversity of flowering plants and shrubs. |
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Grasslands. |
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Create a water feature, with nice shallow areas for any visiting waterfowl, and lots of reed cover for young fish. This will also create a habitat for frogs. |
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Create some open shady areas for animals to sun themselves. |
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Provide nesting boxes for birds and bat houses for bats to roost in. |
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Leave old cut down exotic trees in your garden as this creates habitat for insects, reptiles and food for some small predators like Genets. |
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Ring bark the odd large old exotic trees as when they die they will create ideal areas for birds to rest, feed and nest. |
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| Community projects - Shakashead feeding scheme upgrades |
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After a two year fundraising initiative for this informal feeding scheme based in Shakashead inland of Ballito, a lease agreement has been reached with the KwaDukuza Municipality which will see the feeding scheme move to new premises. The current premises see two to three hundred children being fed two meals daily. There is no water or sanitation and cooking is done on open fire. The new premises will be a brick structure with running water, sanitation and electricity and will provide an opportunity to host the children during the day in a crèche type environment. While the eLan Group has raised enough capital to kit out the feeding scheme with fridges, cooking utensils, deep freezes and provide tables and chairs, there are a few items which are still needed and would be gladly welcomed from any sponsors.
Should you like to donate any of the above materials, kindly send an email to petercameron@elan.co.za
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| Environmental Challenges for businesses |
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Global environmental issues impact on local business as the high levels of poverty are what drive development agendas and finance availability. As we all know, Climate Change is upon us so what is the reputational risk of your business if you are only focusing on the bottom line?
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| Business is now focusing on the triple bottom line. |
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Profit |
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Social Responsibility |
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Environmental Performance |
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The Environment is defined as the surroundings in which humans exist; the land, water, atmosphere, micro organisms, plants, animals, physical, chemical but it is also the aesthetic and cultural properties that influence human health and wellbeing. South Africa is the only country in the world that has the environmental rights of an individual written into the constitution (Section 24 of Chapter 2).
The problem is that the majority of the world's population is poor and when this happens, the environment does not stand a chance because food and survival are more important. The world's population is 6.6bn where 4bn live in poverty. Poverty is defined as living on less than US$2 per day. In Africa the population is 950m where 570m live in poverty (60%) and in South Africa the population is 46m with 26m living in poverty (57%).
At the G8 summit, there were two items on the agenda; Poverty Eradication and Climate Change, which resulted in a worldwide drive to eradicate poverty by 50% by 2015.
So what does this mean for you in business? Well, nature is certainly making a comeback and has its own ways irrespective of what mankind wants and if you are not riding the wave of change, you will find yourself
underneath it!
Environmental management is not about the environment, but rather controlling the activities that could impact the environment. So make a difference before its too late.
Be entrepreneurial.
Reduce your energy consumption and use renewable energy sources (solar, wind, wave)
Build, design and construct to cope with climate change.
*Taken from presentation conducted by Troy Govender, PRISA Breakfast, 23 June 2009.
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| Gallery |
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The Spirit of eLan recently sailed the warm Mozambique waters with Extreme Sports Angling (ESA) and the eLan Explorer. Tough times for the guys…
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Skipper of the Spirit of eLan,
Gary Stewart |
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Peter Taylor with a nice sized Couta
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Peter Taylor, Mark de la Hay,
Gary Stewart and Peter Shore |
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The eLan Explorer
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