The story unfolding before you this autumnal evening was going to be penned here. Instead it will be saved for the next newsletter for it may not be suitable for a formal annual chairman’s report. 

Many thanks to all of you, every single member of the Zandvlei Trust. You have done your best be it just an annual subscription fee or whether you were more active in achieving the Trust’s goals. Every little bit has counted.

With Gavin Lawson steering the Trust through a tough period the job of chairing has been eased. Thank you Gavin. The Exco has done an excellent job in sustaining our mission. I know there are some who feel they could be better placed elsewhere but being chairman this year made me realise it’s not a quick fix joy of a job. It’s a whopping big learning curve. 
Thank you, Sharon McCallum, Lucia Rodrigues, Gerrard Wigram, Peter Kruger, Catherine Fedorsky, Joyce Brandt and new Julie Dunkerley for being there for the Trust and for gently guiding me when necessary.

Our membership when last counted is still around the 230 mark… perhaps a tad more. Obviously the more members, the more income, the more support, the more action, the longer Zandvlei will remain. Thanks Ken Williams for keeping the database up to date and thank you to those members who often pay more than the required amount and then donate the change. Every little bit counts.

Gerrard Wigram, thank you for your loyal had working accounting. All the figures we have in front of us are well recorded, up to date and in order. May the only numbers that diminish be the number of your golfing shots as you traipse around your Wednesday course.

Although Robin Burnett has retired he never tires of looking after ZIMP, he also never tires from learning about the flora. May Pat recover fully as the two of you walk the miles collecting and recording. And while they are out there who is going to help with our rainfall reports? To date no weather station has been erected; where are those sponsors? Another venture under ZIMP was Cassandra Sheasby’s winter fish survey which revealed that the water quality of the vlei is relatively good. A friend wrote to me the other day asking when Zandvlei was going to host a swimming event as the open sea is becoming too infested with sharks. Thank you, Cassy, for managing this survey. 

Speaking of management, without the input from Mark Arendse and his Educational team, Sharon McCallum and Cherry Giljam and others we wouldn’t have the amazing interactive teaching of biodiversity and more, with the local schools. Having Steenberg Train Station close by has also been a great aid to schools further afield. How many of you have accompanied Mark as he guides young minds through the winding paths of GZENR on a sunny week morning? There was also some fun when Sharon took 60 children from Vrygrond to a performance at the Baxter Theatre for a play about the conservation of snakes called Snake Magic. This play was repeated at the Annual Muizenberg Youth Festival in the Muizenberg Pavilion alongside an excellent “good/bad” fauna and flora exhibition set up by Cherry Giljam, Mark and Joshua Gericke (standing in for Cassy earlier this year) in the foyer.

Westlake Wetlands Gardens continues to entertain passers by in Lakeside and Una Hartley and her workers do sterling labour as they endeavor to clear the brush to avoid encroachment of undesirable elements. Hopefully this garden will remain while other important functions of the Trust such as clearing the nearby waterways of hyacinth are carried out. 

John Fowkes and the Rutter Road residents have been spending hours and money to ensure Zandvlei remains in good nick. The hyacinth seems to persist although recently it appears that it has all been cleared. Borrow a canoe and go and have a look for yourselves.

Neil Major continues too with his commitment to indigenous, to fynbos, to sustaining Zandvlei for our great grandchildren. Together with Leif Petersen and his Rate Payers Association two indigenous gardens will soon be seen at the sea end of our estuary. 
The latter three projects require ongoing funding if they are to be seriously maintained.

Please don’t forget our two parks, Bokmakerie and Grysbok: Gavin Lawson , Bowen Boshier and their stalwarts, including Councillor Qually, have been seen regularly hacking away at the alien or packing green litter bags with accumulating rubbish and often dismantling makeshift temporary cardboard “homes”. Once in Grysbok Park I gave a “resident” R20 to take himself home to Phillipi. The hackers ensured that this fellow and certain criminal elements now have no place to hide. Let’s hope with further education as mentioned above this kind of behavior ceases soon.

It is with regret that we lost Marian Shinn as our newsletter editor. The good news is that she will be defending Zandvlei as a provincial member of parliament. Thank you Marian for your tireless work putting the newsletter together. Peter Kruger and Sharon now know what a slog it was but, like you, they enjoyed the process. Other good news in this regard is that we have had an offer of the editorial services of another member, Muriel Darke. All I can say is: Yes!

What amazes me every time I open it is our website. Here’s why: on the evening of the last day of the Kite Festival the winner of the raffle of a recycled plastic park bench was announced during the dying moments of the Festival as the kites returned to their homes above children’s bedroom wardrobes. That night the winner’s name was posted on the website! As you read this please in your own time put your hands together and applaud Gavin Lawson for his never ending energy in keeping the world up to date about the ebb and flow of the Zandvlei Trust. Our website is the biggest hit in town.

Another stalwart in our midst is Cherry Giljam who has been, with others from Marina Da Gama, the force keeping Park Island in the condition that we see it as we walk, illegally mind you, our leash-free dogs – watch this space for litter bins. Cherry will also be creating an Arbour Day of plants and fun and a chance for all of us in the Trust to lend a hand even if it means just purchasing a plant. So many opportunities for you to come out of hiding and share your energy, passion and commitment to Zandvlei.

So many thoughts of gratitude float across the keyboard. The Bird Club, Zandvlei Action Committee, Zandvlei Sports Club, Sand River Catchment Forum and Greater Zandvlei Estuary Nature Reserve. And a stranger called philip, well, that’s how he spells his name in his emails. Thanks to all the questions he asked the Trust that I am able to thank the Bird Club, who with fellows like Vincent Marinkowitz and others slowly began to look after the vlei more than 20 years ago until, quite recently, Clifford Dorse and the City turned the Vlei into the Nature reserve we have today. 

Now Cassandra Sheasby and her strong team manage the Reserve and together the Trust and her management are committed to keeping this valuable real estate in the good condition it’s in. Long may our relationship with the City officials continue so that our children’s children’s children may look over the water in wonderment and awe. The Trust also helps Cassy with manpower and often funds project or assists in buying necessary equipment for the Reserve to monitor its important research.
EIA’s are still a concern and, it seems, desperately need more members to assist Gavin and Bowen, the latter will be living further away from the vlei shortly so this is an urgent call for someone to communicate with Bowen and Gavin to perhaps take  over the reigns of this sometimes endless task of keeping developers at heel. We need our open spaces open if we are ever to realize a future for natural life.

There has recently been an adventurous school outing facilitated by the Sand River Catchment Forum which is documented on our website in detail. It’s work like this that needs applauding and supporting. 

I think the message is strong and clear: We Need You. Please Dear Members let’s remove the fear of making mistakes by participating with mind, body and soul not just with your pocket. 

Go out there, learn how to plant a seed, nurture the seedling, water the sapling and then sit under the shade of the tree and pass your experience to others so they can follow in your footsteps. 

We can do it; it’ll benefit all.

David Muller.