Mark Griffiths

Most of you should have heard by now, we have 2 new cubs in our lion pride, first sighting on the 5/6/17 at about 05h45 on, yes you guessed right, the early morning school run!!! 

Magnamonious days of late in the Bushes, we have had elephant & giraffe wall-to-wall.  I did a walk between Ingwe Dam & Natural Pan, saw more giraffe than impala!!! 

Rhino poaching.  Just mentioning the word causes bile to rise, how nauseating. Members, I beg you please keep any rhino information confidential for all our benefit (please feel free to talk with me about).

Water wise.  I’ve said it often, I’m saying it again, the drought is/was not over!!!  Stay water-wise, report all leaks, washing of vehicles still will exclude the under-carriage, grey water for the gardens will continue. 

We’ll be off for annual break, J-Bay calling loudly, but still be in touch.

SEE LINK FOR FULL CIRCULAR

N'tsiri AGM

We have a date confirmed for the AGM: Wednesday 6 September 2017 at 18h00. The meeting will take place at Bryanston Country Club. The Ntsheli AGM will proceed first, followed by the N'tsiri AGM. We encourage as many members as possible to attend. Please notify Don Millar, at least 2 weeks prior to the meeting, if you have additions for the agenda: don@claritygroup.co.za 

Protected Areas Act - Theo Van Wyk

A process has begun to align all private nature reserves with the National Environmental Management : Protected Areas Act (NEMPA). This involves the correct proclamation of land, the registration as a Management Authority and the implementation of a Management Plan. This process has implications for the tax status of such land, the correct zoning of such land and the implementation of a Greater Kruger Co-operation Agreement. Ntisiri, as part of the Umbabat, is participating in this process via Nkorho and the UWCA and also through the APNR. As the implementation of all these changes is applicable at land owner level and thus on each title deed, members will be informed at the AGM in Sept of the progress. The aim is to finalise the process and all registrations by early 2019 at the latest.  

Operational updates and projects

Phase 1 of our staff village revamp is almost completed and the board has set a date for the official hand over to our staff. Everything from plumbing to electrical issues have been resolved. The board is committed to this project and envisages that it will continue over a 2 to 3 year period.

Building Activities

The rebuild of Unit 46 is well underway. We wish Fanie and Baba Erasmus all the best and many happy "N'tsiri Memories" in their new house.

Members wishing to apply for permission for a new building or for any alteration projects, need to fill in the required application forms. These must be duly signed and submitted to the Building Directors: Peter Smelting or Dave Joscelyne. A copy must also be forwarded to Mark Griffiths.

No outside building contractors will be allowed onto Ntsiri without filling in the appropriate building documents. Peter Smelting will happily provide the correct forms to members. He can be contacted via email on:

peter@cellchem.co.za

mobile  083 2514564 / Office   011 8670777 

Project "Donga" - Mark Griffiths

We’ve finally got around to tackling my favourite repair jobs in the veld, combating erosion.  Severe erosion has led to the creation of massive dongas on NW Passage and around Ingwe Dam, not to mention areas around Unit #4 and 9. Some pics have been added in the link below for everyone to get a glimpse of how bad things were.

Gas Certificates of Compliance

Once again, the board reminds all members that our current insurance company is insisting that all units on N'tsiri are in possession of Gas Compliance Certificates. The ONUS IS ON YOU to ensure that your unit is compliant. Dave Annandale has completed his course in gas certification and is now able to assist members in becoming compliant. Furthermore, it is compulsory when any shares in a unit are bought or sold, that gas compliance certificates are in place and up to date.

Plans for Mopani Dam

The N'tsiri board, along with the EMP committee, have discussed at the length, the need for more vehicle access to our waterholes. Place where members may congregate without the restrictions that our game hides situated on waterholes cause. With this in mind, the board has plans to open a vehicle parking area on the north western side of Mopani dam where 3-4 vehicles can park. Part of this project will also aim to close the loop road at Mopani Dam which is currently situated too close to the water's edge. Members comments on this project are welcomed.

Member's Facilities

It is time for our beloved platform to undergo a major overhaul. Post our 2012 floods, the platform has gradually deteriorated in stability and safety. This project, which aims to completely rebuild the platform, with mean that the facility is out of use for a month. Management is currently looking at this project commencing in September 2017, so that it is up and running again for the festive season.

Impala Lillies - Adenium multiflorum

Carpet Flower - Aptosimum lineare

Crossandra spp

Downy Baleria - Baleria affinis

Perfect Bush Etiquette - Shirley Joscelyne

On Sunday evening, 18th June when most members had returned home from the farm after a long weekend, a few of us remained to enjoy another day or two. Whilst we had enjoyed a weekend of great game viewing, with excellent sightings of general game and an exciting leopard kill at Zebra Dam, we had only managed to see lion on the main road between N'tsiri and Ingwelala.... Read More

Mattress and Upholstery Steam Cleaning

Ethel has been requested by a few members to look into a service for mattress and upholstery steam cleaning. She has found a company based in Hoedspruit willing to provide this service. The company charges per item cleaned. They have no call out fee, but cost of entrance gate access and generator will have to be covered by members partaking. Please contact Ethel if you would be interested. ethel@ntsiri.co.za.

Amazing Leopard sighting #62

The Tophams (# 62) were blessed with an amazing leopard sighting. Thank you Barbara and Rodney for sharing these amazing pictures with the rest of the members. This leopard with an impala kill were seen at Hyena dam just off the driveway of #34. See link for more pictures......

Leopard and cub

Our predator population is growing.... a leopard cub was also spotted on river gate road. This is conjunction with the lion cub sightings...... has left everyone in a frenzy of excitement. Ethel reports that the  Impala lilies are starting to show their beautiful colours.  We are also seeing an increasing amount of Nyala sights and Unit #16 reported having had a Nyala bull visit at their unit.

Bush Thinning - Mark Griffiths

The main goal of bush thinning, is procuring biodiversity. This is necessary when certain species proliferate to the point that they cause an imbalance in the variety of grass species, which are essential to support secondary consumers. Bush encroachment, bush thickening or woody vegetation increase, call it what you like, is a phenomenon first noted & commented upon in the Lowveld, in the late 1890’s, by James Stephenson-Hamilton. After noticing the effects of the huge loss of herbivores after the Rinderpest epidemic, woodland savannah was changing into woodland.

Martial Eagle

This magestic Martial Eagle (Polemaetus bellicosus) was captured by Peter Anderson (#R13). These birds are listed as vulnerable in our region. They are monogamous with females being slightly larger than the males. They usually hunt on the wing and potential prey are spotted as far as 6km away. They have been known to catch and eat prey as heavy as 8kg; young impala, warthog and baboons. Their vulnerability stems from the fact that only one chick is reared. Up to 29% of pairs may prepare nests but not lay. 19% of pairs don't even prepare nests. Persecution on farmlands is particularly blamed for the 3 fold decrease in these birds over a 6 year period.