STANDING OUT: OCTOBER 2022

STANDING OUT.

CONTENTS

SUBURBS

BOWL

SEABOARD

SOUTH PENINSULA

NATIONAL AREAS

FOREWORD

Nick Gaertner Director & Chief Operations Officer, Knight Frank South Africa

September marked the beginning of spring, and along with that, a strong uptick in the number of property enquiries and transactions within the Knight Frank team. While this is generally the time of year in which the market starts to hot up as we head towards the summer months, Knight Frank is delighted to share some exciting news as we aim to further strengthen and evolve our business.

Set to stir things up across the property landscape, I would like to welcome new director Dane Abramowitz to the mix and with his big personality and even bigger goals for advancing the ideals of this international real estate brand, he promises to be an inspiring influence in the property market.

Dane’s intrepid spirit saw him launch his own web design business while still at school, rocketing his entrepreneurial career in digital marketing and social strategy to become founder and CEO of HOTSEAT digital agency. Along the way, he has played an integral role in the achievements of Red Bull, ASICS and EGG while implementing his specialist digital marketing skills.

Commenting on his new role as Knight Frank Director and Head of Marketing, Dane says, “Joining Knight Frank was an easy decision, I’ve known Nick for a long time and we both share a similar outlook on business and on life. I’ve never been one to play it safe or do things the way they have always been done. I won’t pretend to understand the property market the way Nick and Chairman Susan Turner do, but that’s not what

I am here for. I’m here to show them a different outlook on it all and cause a little stir in the local industry while doing so.”

As a group we are excited to see where Dane’s new ideas and way of thinking takes us. In a highly competitive industry, it is important to evolve and keep thinking outside the box and I am confident that this new partnership will grow Knight Frank South Africa to new heights.

The epitome of style

Stylish home in quintessential Newlands village.

The epitome of style in the heart of the village. This classic beautiful five bedroomed old meets new large home is perfect for living and entertaining with its seamless inside outside flow.

• Hallway with guest cloak room

• Guest Bedroom en-suite

• Large open plan lounge dining room and wood burner fireplace with French doors to covered patio

• Magnificent kitchen with casual dining area and log burner fire place with French doors to outside

• Separate scullery and laundry

• Further 2 bedrooms off the living area with full bathroom

• Trendy Crete stone stairwell to upstairs 2 bedrooms

• Upstairs beautiful main bedroom en-suite with air-conditioning and mountain views

• Ceiling fans and under floor heating

• Outdoor covered area with and built in braai

• Single garage with tandem parking for 3 cars

• Top security

• Borehole and water filtration system

Conrad Botes continues to push the boundaries

Internationally acclaimed artist on what it takes to stay relevant

“This will be the first time I’ve done an exhibition with only sculptures and etchings,” starts Conrad Botes, explaining how at this stage in his career (having been exhibited all over the world) he wants to focus on, “stuff that I enjoy.”

“Etching is a medium that people have kind of forgotten, and almost don’t care for anymore,” he says. According to Botes, he sells hardly any etchings, but if he prints lithos or silkscreens of one of his works he will easily sell up to 50, of a single edition depending on the piece.

“On average if I print an edition of nine etchings, I will sell three, maybe… Because it’s not colourful and it’s small.” For Botes – who started his career way back in the 80s as a politicised comic artist (along with Anton Kannemeyer) on Bitterkomix – it has never been about the money though. “The tradition (of etching) is so rich and some of my favourite work throughout the history of art is bodies of etching work. It’s a really special technique for me so this exhibition I’m doing is kind of a tribute to etching as a medium.”

Botes’ sculptures and etchings will be exhibited at the Kalashnikov Gallery in Johannesburg through October and then in Cape Town at Gallery 131 from around the 15th of December.

COMIC RELIEF

To truly appreciate his evolution as an artist, we need to start in the lecture halls of Stellenbosch University. “I met Anton (Kannemeyer) in 1988. We were both first-year graphic design students. I wanted to study Fine Arts, but the school career counsellor convinced my parents that I’d never earn a living as an artist and that ‘GD’ was a better career choice,” he laughs.

Botes and Kannemeyer discovered that they shared a passion for comics and started drawing together. “I loved the fact that comics allowed us to deal with complex political issues and that it had potential as a medium,” he says. Their first comic was an End Conscription comic that was published in STET, an alternative Afrikaans literary magazine published in the 80s and early 90s. In 1992 we published they would go on to publish their first issue of Bitterkomix.

“Bitterkomix was a direct attack on the moral codes of the conservative Afrikaans culture from which we both came,” he says, outlining how they aimed to be subversive and confrontational with the subject matter with

which they dealt. “Most stories dealt with the politics of race, gender and their relationship with the Afrikaner culture and history, and South Africa in general.”

Bitterkomix publications have grown to be something of a national institution and are now published through a niche publishing house, Soutie Press. Botes and Kannemeyer are working on a new edition scheduled to be released in December.

ON TO THE GALLERIES OF THE WORLD

The evolution to doing gallery-based work came quite naturally for Botes. On the back of the launch of each new issue of Bitterkomix, the two would host a small exhibition of original drawings, comic pages, silkscreen posters and prints. “This went very well, and soon we started doing other artwork as well. I started making reverse glass paintings, a technique popular in some West African countries, especially Senegal. While Anton was a full-time lecturer (he taught at three Universities), I began to sell more and more paintings to earn a living.”

In 2001 an Italian art dealer saw some of Botes’ material and started showing the work at his gallery in Italy. “From then on I stopped doing commercial illustration work and focused primarily on my painting and comics.”

And, more recently sculpture and etchings. “The evolution from comics to painting is perhaps not such a natural or expected one,” he muses. “At first, I kept the gallery work and the comics separate, even though the two existed in symbiosis. I felt that my comics benefited a lot from my ‘fine arts’ practice and vice versa. I think the thing that makes our gallery work different is the strong ‘comics’ identity. Its use of the narrative allows it to deal with the political subject matter in a very direct and powerful way.”

In 2006 he started showing at the Stevenson Gallery in Cape Town. In discussions with Michael Stevenson, he realised that he should try to merge my comics and my other artistic practices. With his support, Botes started showing comics and other narrative works along with the rest of his paintings and sculptures.

The changing political landscape had a major impact on his work. “I think that a lot of the interest in Post-Apartheid era South African art is precise because South African artists deal with our political landscape in such a direct manner,” he says.

THERE IS STILL A PLACE FOR POLITICAL SATIRE

“I feel that it still has a place, and an important one too,” he states. “However, I feel it’s becoming more and more difficult to be outspoken and confrontational in our current international political climate. To conform to acceptable liberal standards, one has to follow a certain politically correct set of ideas. As soon as you step out of this mindset and start criticising or attacking specific ideas, people or events, you are immediately branded in a negative light.”

According to Botes there is an unwritten set of rules as to who may or may not address certain issues in their work and he finds this frightening.

“It’s as if a wave of new conservatism and dogma, disguised as liberalism, is engulfing us,” he says, before adding: “The most exciting thing about what I do is getting excited or moved about what I’m working on (such as the new etchings). That is why I will continue making work that explores, interrogates, investigate and confront.”

SOUTHERN SUBURBS

Southern Suburbs

The leafy Southern Suburbs of Cape Town are something of a green lung to the Mother City. Comprising the verdant neighbourhoods of Bergvliet, Bishopscourt, Claremont, Harfield Village, Constantia, Kenilworth, Mowbray, Newlands, Observatory, Rondebosch, Rosebank, Salt River, Tokai and Wynberg it offers a range of lifestyle options to suit the needs of all types of homeowners. Properties range from stylish apartments and charming semi-detached houses to large homes and grand estates with stunning gardens, many with unique views of Table Mountain. The area is well-known for its prestigious schools as well as the beautiful University of Cape Town.

Top Attractions & Activities

Golf

Hiking

Shopping

Top Schools

Wine Tasting Tours

Coffee Shops and Eateries

Award-winning Restaurants

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

How home staging can add value when listing your home

Start by removing the emotional connection to your property, then read on:

Firstly, for someone who has no idea, give us a brief rundown of precisely what home staging is.

In very broad terms, home staging is the preparation of your property to present its full potential to appeal to the maximum number of potential buyers through the listing photographs.

What does the process involve?

The process of staging (usually) involves a decent amount of decluttering, de-personalising, organising and cleaning, firstly.

This can be quite an emotional thing for homeowners, especially if it is their primary residence, which is why the help of a professional can add so much value.

Secondly, adding some charm and character where needed with decor items to enhance key features of the property. This is done in such a way as to appeal to the broadest target market (in the price range) – you’ll be surprised how ‘taste’ in furnishings can turn people off.

In addition, buyers often struggle to envision themselves in a space that is too full of personal pictures and items. When buying property, light and spacious is what most are looking for. The key is to find a nice balance to make it inviting. I find that neutral is best when it comes to the walls. Buyers pass over good listings simply because of brightcoloured accent walls.

So, what you’re saying is that even if a home is decorated with high-end finishes, home staging can be beneficial.

Definitely, but there is some context: Whether it be high-end furniture or ‘flat pack’ is far less important than the actual placement thereof. For example, bigger artwork will show off high ceilings. Furniture pushed up against the walls gives the illusion of little space, so the smallest details can make the biggest difference. Since most buyers first

search through listings, it’s those listing pictures that lead to viewings thus making it so important. A professional property photographer to showcase the staging is the finishing touch. Staged properties get more views and sell faster for more money, all the stats prove that.

You mention the small details, how do you go about highlighting the importance of those details to clients who are emotionally attached to their homes?

Moving house is one of the top 10 most stressful life events. When you combine that with selling the property homeowners can find staging an unnecessary worry and expense. This is where the challenge lies. To convince them to spend more money, time and energy on the property they’re selling. The prospect of bigger profits is usually incentive enough to clench the deal through.

That then leads us to the bottom line, what would home staging usually cost?

The cost is very much determined by the amount of work to be done. I find that being flexible with billing rates works for me. Every client and property is different. Some owners are willing to make a head start concerning decluttering and painting, which can save money. I find that there is something to be done with any budget, big or small. The key is to spend where it adds value. You don’t have to stage every nook and cranny.

Is home staging available for property developers and spec builders too? Even rentals?

For sure. Most developers and spec builders stage one spec house per development. You get to see the vision of the architect in play when it is staged. How they imagined someone would use the space and live in it.

We speak to Liesl Leonard, a home-stager who has helped countless sellers sell their homes faster and at the best possible price.

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A breath of fresh air

It’s often been said (and studies have proven) that plants –– both indoors and out –– bring fresh air and ‘health’ to your home and garden and can aid in reducing your carbon footprint. Plants can go as far as purifying air, according to this study published by NASA in 2019.

“Plants not only take in carbon dioxide and return oxygen, but they are exceptionally good at capturing harmful toxins from the air,” the paper reads. The research delved into how plants do this, and how to potentially use plants to provide clean air on long-duration space missions. purify the air. While you might not be planning a mission to the moon any time soon, it’s good to know that if you have (the right) plants inside your home and in your garden, the air you breathe will be better.

Here are a handful of options:

SPEKBOOM (PORTULACARIA AFRA)

The spekboom is not only the favoured food of the endangered black rhino (as well as elephant and kudu, among other species) but it is also one of the most efficient plants at removing carbon from the air. According to this study, it removes the carbon through photosynthesis and also through the process of Crassula Acid Metabolism (CAM) which sees the uptake of carbon dioxide at night. This hardy, evergreen succulent grows up to 3m, and can very easily be propagated from cuttings. It is highly versatile and can be turned into a hedge, groundcover or even trained into a Bonzai. In addition, you can place cut branches in a vase in your house to help cleanse the air of pollutants. For a special touch to your next dinner party, add a few leaves to the salad. Its small, round leaves are edible and have medicinal properties. Place the branches in a large vase indoors and they’ll absorb a multitude of pollutants.

Bring some more ‘fresh air’ to your garden (and home) and offset your carbon footprint this Summer with these indigenous and easy-to-grow plants.

BARBERTON DAISY (GERBERA JAMESONII)

This South African classic needs plenty of sun and loves sandy soil and can be potted indoors or planted outside. A cut daisy can also last for nearly two weeks in a vase. The Barberton daisy comes in a variety of colours and shades from white through to blood red.

As the name suggests it is found naturally in grassland in sandy, well-drained soils in Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Limpopo Provinces, it will do well in full sun and in the suitable soil in Cape Town, however.

ALOE FEROX (ALOE FEROX)

According to the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), there are over 600 species of Aloe found worldwide with some 405 in Africa. Aloe Ferox is indigenous to South Africa and over the past two decades has had a big rise in use in the traditional pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry. According to SANBI aloes make excellent accent plants, “owing to their often strange and inspiring architectures, as well as the bright flowers that offset the grey-green leaves.” They are highly versatile and can be used as container plants, as border plants at the edge of a bed or used in rockeries. It requires very little water and maintenance and loves a lot of sun. In addition, it is one of the very few plants that emit oxygen at night (while simultaneously taking in carbon dioxide) rather than during the day.

GIANT BIRD OF PARADISE (STRELITZIA NICOLAI)

Commonly known as the ‘Natal Wild Banana’ this striking plant can grow up to 12m high and 4m wide. It evergreen tree and with care can form dense clumps that will make for a pertinent feature in your garden. While it is a native of the sub-tropical coastal regions further up the East Coast, it grows well in Western Cape conditions if planted in the correct spot (it likes partial sun). According to SANBI, it is useful for creating a lush, tropical effect. “It can be used to offset hard landscaping, buildings and pools etc. It also looks good contrasted with evergreen lawns and shrubs.” The institute cautions against planting it too close to structures and paths however because of its aggressive root system.

SPUR FLOWER (PLECTRANTHUS NEOCHILUS)

This is a hardy perennial, is ideal for sunny, water-wise gardens and is known as an excellent pollutant absorber. It flowers from September to April and when not in flower adds a pleasant aromatic edge to your garden. It can be easily propagated easily from cuttings and we recommend growing it as a groundcover to line pavements and walkways.

ATLANTIC SEABOARD

Atlantic Seaboard

As the name suggests, the mighty Atlantic Ocean (and its beautiful beaches) is the mainstay of the area from the V&A Waterfront to Hout Bay, with Green Point, Three Anchor Bay, Mouille Point, Sea Point, Fresnaye, Bantry Bay, Clifton, Camps Bay, Bakoven and Llandudno spread out in between. The area offers a range of outdoor and adventure activities as well as an abundance of restaurants, niché eateries and bistros, coffee and retail shops.

Top Attractions & Activities

Beaches

Scenic Drives

Robben Island

Theatre on the Bay

Sea Point Promenade

Bars, Cafés and Eateries

Green Point Urban Park

Camps Bay African Crafts Market

Beach Sports, Water Sports and Paragliding

Kitchen Trends for Summer 2022

With warmer weather and the new energy that spring brings, many people are considering home-improvement projects. Whether building from scratch or upgrading an existing space, investing time and money into a space such as a kitchen can be a big commitment but will add a lot of value to your house.

According to Jason Wells, Brand & Marketing Manager at PG Bison, colours and textures are in while marble makes a welcome return.

Recent trends show that most homeowners want to strike a balance between enjoying an on-trend kitchen now and creating a room that will hold its value for years to come. Thankfully, Jason Wells, Brand & Marketing Manager at PG Bison says, modern manufacturing technologies mean that today’s wood-based panel products used in cabinets and even for worktops are far more durable than ever before.

“There’s also more room for individuality than ever before in kitchens,” he says. “There was a time when people were treating kitchens like oldfashioned bathrooms – everything in white. But over the past few years, we’ve seen ‘white appliances’ move to a stainless-steel finish and now even matt black, pastels and limited-edition designs in partnership with fashion designers or artists. Kitchen cabinets, carcasses and countertops are available in fresh new colours and designs, and so kitchen design is becoming more and more sophisticated.”

Here Wells outlines a few of the biggest trends to look out for over the next few months:

COLOURS AND COMBINATIONS

“Pale greens and blues and darker rust colours are in vogue currently in solid colours, and we’re also seeing designers mix and match colours to create visual interest through combining different tones,” says Wells. “For example, a matt grey pairs beautifully with a light wood texture. Gloss white, which also remains very popular, can be used with a solid colour and a wood texture as accents for a stylish three-tone space. We’re definitely seeing designers mixing more finishes, so using a combination of matt, gloss and texture to create a beautiful and tactile experience.”

According to Wells customers and designers are also upping the sophistication and feeling of luxury in kitchens by using coloured carcasses instead of the traditional white inners.

International design shows, such as The Block Australia, Grand Designs and Amazing Interiors, have also popularised kitchens with character and retro colour palettes.

ALL THE SHADES OF GREY

“We’re seeing a huge trend towards kitchens in darker colours, particularly in matt finishes,” says Wells. “We’ve even expanded the range of greys we offer to meet the market demand. We now have Folkstone Grey, Dunblane Grey and Storm Grey, as well as some textured designs with a grey undertone.”

Wells explains that dark kitchens often incorporate matt finishes, as matt surfaces don’t reflect light in the uniform way high-gloss surfaces do, allowing darker tones to be used without a space feeling oppressive.

“Matt shades tend to scatter light randomly, reducing reflections to negligible levels,” he says. “This means they’re easier on our senses and experienced as calming. They are therefore ideal for creating calm in living and working spaces. Soft matt surfaces also provide a counterpoint to the glare from the many digital devices we tend to be surrounded with in our daily lives, and they echo many natural, untouched materials, which human beings tend to find soothing.”

Wells says that matt products are versatile in that they can be used to introduce much darker colours effectively either as a base or as an accent feature. “We’re seeing designers opting for much darker greys and charcoal colours in a matt finish and accenting it with a wood-grain or stone-finish design.”

NATURE-INSPIRED SURFACES

Marble is enjoying a huge revival. However, it is not in everyone’s budget. Thankfully, Wells says, improvements in digital scanning and printing, as well as in manufacturing, mean that ultra-realistic finishes are now available in high-pressure laminates (HPL) and melamine-faced boards (MFB), with options that capture the look of marble, granite, stone and timber, in a diverse range to suit every taste.

“These are not the options of old, which weren’t necessarily a realistic reproduction of natural stone,” he says. “Modern products look incredibly true-to-life and we’re seeing designers incorporating touches of marble- or timber-look into kitchens in all sorts of interesting ways, from centre islands to shelving and backing in cabinets with glass doors and internal lighting. There’s a world of possibilities available, without the hefty price point.”

PG Bison’s Azzano and Caldera designs mimic white marble with a black vein and dark marble with lighter texturing respectively. Both are proving very popular in the market.

“For people who aren’t sure where to start, we’ve loaded a range of kitchen designs in different styles into our 360° Showroom to help you narrow down what you like,” says Wells. “If you find something that strikes your fancy, you can even choose to edit the design in our free Kitchen Design Tool to customise it for your own space and needs.”

Website: www.pgbison.co.za

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CITY BOWL

City Bowl

The City Bowl is a veritable melting pot of interests, cultures and property types with residences catering to everyone from students to young execs and families. The likes of Vredehoek, Oranjezicht, Higgovale, Gardens, Tamboerskloof, Bo-Kaap, De Waterkant, Foreshore, Woodstock, the City Bowl District (CBD), Zonnebloem, District Six, Devil’s Peak Estate, University Estate and Walmer Estate each have their own unique character. The area is also an entertainment hub, featuring coffee shops, eateries, bars, nightclubs, retail and boutique stores as well as galleries to keep the senses engaged.

Top Attractions & Activities

Hiking

Bo-Kaap Markets

City tours

Helicopter flips

V&A Waterfront

Outdoor adventures

Bars, cafés and clubs

Galleries & museums

Award-winning restaurants

FOOD

How to make the ultimate alfresco platter

Learn from renowned charcutier Richard Bosman how to pair your meats and additions

Charcuterie (pronounced ‘shaar-cu-tu-ree’) started as a form of preserving meat (in the days before refrigeration) but is today seen as something of an art. That, and the foundation of a delicious (and eye-pleasing) summer platter.

As you might have guessed, the word originated in France and translates quite elegantly to ‘porkbutcher shop.’ In broad sweeps, it refers to the preparation and curing of meats through a range of processes that aren’t cooking, such as salting, drying and smoking. Richard Bosman is one of the country’s finest current proponents and produces products for a host of retail outlets as well as wine farms and private clients. “We no longer cure meats because we need to,” Bosman explains of the curing process, “rather because we like it. We favour the texture and the taste of it.”

Bosman has been producing Italian and Spanishstyle charcuterie using traditional methods since 2009 when a hobby turned into a business. Special partnerships with selected farmers allow his small factory to source the very best pasturereared animals, delivering superior quality and flavour to the meat. With a philosophy of interfering as little as possible with the meat, Bosman and his team rely on quality and time to make the magic happen.

As with so many other pork products, the end product(s) can be used in a variety of different ways, most well-known is the summer platter - most often served on a board with cheeses, bread, fruits and nuts. Some basic rules will elevate your summer platter to the next level, however. Read on for some of Bosman’s insights. These are his words:

USE A VARIETY OF CURED MEATS

A variety of cured meats is important. You know you don’t want it to be all salami… Or that type of thing. From my perspective, I like to look at the whole animal (the whole ‘hog’ if you will). So I’d put on some prosciutto, which comes from the leg, coppa (capocollo) which comes from the neck, and then maybe even pancetta from the belly, (that’s dried sufficiently so that you can eat it without cooking. Shoulder meats go into salamis and chorizo and similar things, so it’s nice to have one salami-type product. Then it’s also a good idea to use meats from different animals. We make bresaola, using beef, so that is a completely different protein source – nice to have that variety. Sometimes we make warthog chorizo or bush pig, which is nice, especially being South African. Our ‘own’ South African charcuterie should be world-famous, but all we know it for is biltong! It’s a shame.

DIFFERENT TEXTURES COMPLIMENT TASTE

The other component of curing or preserving meat comes in things such as pork rillettes, terrines and pates. So, your platter should not just have sliced meat, but also a pate component which could be a country terrine or it could be a liver pate or pork rillette (which is a slow-cooked shredded meat). Certain types of pate terrine products lend themselves wonderfully to pickled vegetables and capers and a bit of acidity, which can cut through the fat (of the meats).

FRUIT

I am not a big fan of adding fruit if I’m honest, but at this time of the year, some fresh figs can be a delicious enhancement. Or something like a beautiful spanspek, great, but don’t feel like you have to add sugar or glazed cherries, just because it’s something sweet. I would rather do lightly grilled asparagus that still has a bit of crunch or some roasted aubergine. There are non-meat things that you can do that are not sugar syrupy.

MAKE THE MOST OF ADDITIONAL ELEMENTS

Cheese is as big a component as meats are. You can really pair what your cheeses go well with in terms of what you add to the board. That’s also where your sweetness can come into play. So some nice brie cheese and kumquat preserve or something like that.

A loaf of good sourdough bread is a must-have addition. From a digestibility point of view, it’s better to have a slowfermented product that will not cause much inflammation. It also has a bit more flavour and texture than quick yeast bread. (Plus, it’s much nicer to have than crackers and ‘dried’ bread options.

Olives are a fantastic addition too. As are other types of pickles such as aubergine, carrots, celery, olives and artichokes. We make these and sort of mix the up altogether and that’s part of the platter which cuts through the fat.

YOUR GUESTS EAT WITH THEIR EYES FIRST

The 80s are over! Please don’t roll up your meats… Presentation is very important You actually want it to be the feature on the table, this big sort

of thing with lots of beautiful meats, cheeses and pates and pickles and all that kind of thing. You can create some excellent volume and height without rolling. Colour is as important as structure, so it’s nice to have some chorizo, some bresaola and then the pork products, you’ve got dark red and you’ve got orangey and the sort of paler pink, and you can bring in some greenery like rocket, fresh basil, even if you do a little ramekin with some pesto in is great.

What are you waiting for? Richard Bosman Quality Cured Meats produces a wide range of high-quality products ideal for summer platters. As a small, dynamic company they can tailor platter packages to suit your entertainment needs.

Website: www.richardbosman.co.za

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SOUTH PENINSULA

South Peninsula

The South Peninsula has a unique country feel about it, as though it is made up of small seaside villages rather than suburbs. From Hout Bay via the iconic Chapman’s Peak to Noordhoek, Kommetjie, Scarborough, Simon’s Town, Fish Hoek, Clovelly, Glencairn, St James, Kalk Bay, and Muizenberg each has its own unique character and feel. While many of the local residents work in the CBD or other business districts, their lives in their ‘home towns’ often revolve around outdoor activities in the abundant mountains and ocean.

Top Attractions & Activities

Hiking

Sailing

Fishing Markets

Clay Café

Wine Tasting

Art Galleries

Bars, Cafés and Eateries

Kayaking, Paddling and Rowing

GET OUT & GET MOVING

Few cities in the world offer such a variety of outdoor and indoor fitness and adventure activities as Cape Town. We’re blessed with mountains, ocean and, some of the finest coaches and trainers in the world. Best of all, you don’t need to be an expert (or super fit) to make the most of it all. Read on and get out there this Summer.

FEEL THE HEAT

Where: Sweat 1000, Sea Point

A fitness studio (and workout) with a difference! The ‘SWEAT’ refers to Specialized Weight Endurance Athletic Training and the ‘1000’ represents the number of calories you’ll burn in a one-hour workout. The highly experienced trainers at Sweat integrate a range of training styles and movements (from intervals and core stability work to athletics and agility) which means you’ll never get bored. While the dynamics of the training and excitement levels are one reason to try it out, what makes it even more appealing is that there are joining fees, contracts or memberships - you simply book and then pay for the classes which you attend.

LEARN TO CLIMB

Where: CityROCK, Paarden Eiland

City Rock offers world-class indoor climbing facilities. Climb ing is an exhilarating way to get a full-body cardio workout while learning a whole set of new skills (or sharpening up if you’re already a cliffhanger). Their facilities include high walls for roped climbing, a large bouldering area, as well as auto matic belays, a kids’ section, a full fitness gym, a fully stocked outdoor gear shop, as well as a yoga & pilates studio. Join a once-off Intro Course Monday to Thursday evenings between 7 and 8pm, Saturday and Sunday Mornings between 11 and 12pm, and again from 2 – 3pm.

MASTER A MARTIAL ART

Where: Renzo Gracie Academy, Buitengracht Street Renzo Gracie Academy Cape Town was one of the first Bra zilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) academies established in South Africa. The acclaimed training facility offers a high-level BJJ curricu lum and has produced some of the country’s most successful ‘grapplers.’ Expect to go on a learning journey grounded in the origins of BJJ, while getting in touch with the most effective self-defence system developed by the Gracie Family. Aside from their BJJ programme, they also offer boxing and Muay Thai classes, along with introductory and fun kids’ BJJ classes.

The Mother City offers a wealth of interesting and exciting activities for all fitness (and adrenaline) levels.

TAKE TO THE TRAILS

Where: Missing Link Trail, Camp’s Bay

The ‘Missing Link’ trail is awesome for trail running and mountain biking,’ explains Capetonian Ryan Sandes, South Africa’s most successful trial runner. “The full loop there is about 10kms, but you can also do an out-and-back (and turn around wherever you please) to keep it shorter if you like. The views – of both mountain and ocean – there are just absolutely insane,” he says. According to Sandes the trail (which starts on Theresa Avenue) is quite technical and features granite gravel, sand and rocks with some short, sharp climbs.

PUNCH IT OUT

Where: Armoury Boxing, Woodstock

This famed boxing gym is the Cape Town take on a classic boxing club. It features a black-and-white tiled lobby replete with leather studded chairs as well as a boxing library, tro phies and chandeliers, while inside you’ll find retro pugilistic artwork, bags swinging from black steel trusses with a large ring set centre-stage. While they offer real boxing – ‘you don’t play it,’ as their website reads, you don’t have to get to feel the full physical and mental benefits of this great stress-relieving full-body workout.

GET PROPERLY CROSS

Where: Cape CrossFit, Gardens, Foreshore and Newlands

CrossFit is a combination of high-intensity cardio training, weightlifting and gymnastics. It is a dynamic, functional move ment that will improve all other activities you might do – from trail running to surfing, or just carrying your groceries. Cape CrossFit is the original CrossFit affiliate in Cape Town and they provide programmes to suit all fitness and strength levels.

GUIDED OCEAN PADDLE

Where: Simon’s Town

Step out of your comfort zone and experience False Bay from a kayak. Take a paddle from Simon’s Town past its historic har bour to Boulders Beach to see the famous penguin colony. No experience is required and you’re bound to encounter various other sea creatures along the way. More info, here.

BECOME THE QUEEN OR KING OF THE MOUNTAIN

Where: Tokai MTB Trails

“Tokai offers some of the finest mountain bike trails in the country with a variety of routes for technical riding,” explains Doug Bird of Wild Air Sports an adventure sports hub. “While there is something for ‘almost’ every type of rider there – from gravity and enduro riders to cross country specialists –– the riding is quite technical and is definitely for the fitter and more advanced rider.” According to Bird, the Newlands loop, through Kirstenbosch to Constantia Nek is stunning and offers great riding for those looking for a slightly less challeng ing outing but still want to get out on the trails and enjoy what the Greenbelt has to offer.

JUMP OFF THE ROCKS

Where: False Bay

Coasteering is an exhilarating mix of kloofing, swimming and rock jumping. With a bit of rock scrambling thrown in…You need no prior experience and all equipment is supplied for this adventure in False Bay’s intertidal zone. There are several rock-jumps up to 10-metres high (tide-dependent) but none of these is compulsory. Get in touch with the highly experienced crew at Gravity Adventures, more info at Wild Air Sports.

DUAL

NATIONAL AREAS

Stuck between a rock and a hard place

Day Zero may be a thing buried deep in memory, but that doesn’t mean homeowners should not be water-wise. On the contrary, says Stephen Walker, founder of Ground 2 Tap.

People have most definitely become lax,” starts Stephen Walker, founder of Ground 2 Tap a company that provides high-quality water solutions for private and business clients. According to Walker, residential homeowners have fallen into the classic ‘out of sight, out of mind’ trap since Day Zero was avoided.

“If you are following the rainfall patterns in Cape Town over for the past year closely, you’ll find that the dams are far from full – only around 85% as of mid-September 2022,” he says. “This is a big drop from 2020 and 2021 where 100% capacity levels were reached. So, I wouldn’t be surprised if some water restrictions are reinstated towards the end of this upcoming summer.”

In addition, according to Walker, a recent report by the City of Cape Town stated that they have made little progress with the water augmentation plans (bringing additional water capacity to the City).

“Any further delays will lead to a guaranteed shortage again in the next seven years, if not before then,” he warns. “So, the water system is on a knife edge and all it takes is a year or two of poor rains and we may find ourselves in the same position as 2017-18, if not worse off.”

On the back of this Ground 2 Tap, realised there is an urgent need for an alternative to municipal water. “In addition to the threatening shortages, many residential homeowners don’t trust the municipal water quality and they want the freedom to water their gardens when they want to, regardless of restrictions,” Walker says.

The solution - go off the grid:

His company assesses your water quality (be it borehole, well-point or municipal water) and then designs, installs and maintains a water treatment system that ensures you have highquality, safe water, that won’t cut out at an inconvenient time.

“We tackle this with an engineering approach and a high-quality mindset at the forefront of our designs and servicing,” he adds, explaining that there are also many residents that installed water treatment systems at their houses during the Day Zero crisis and have not had them properly maintained. “This is concerning, as poor water quality coming from these systems is unsafe to consume and could be causing damage to house plumbing and geysers.”

Going off-grid is two-fold: First, identifying and settling on a type of water source and second, deciding on what treatment is required to ensure it is safe.

“When deciding on your water source, you’ll need to consider if you have an existing well-point or borehole that you can access,” Walker says, outlining that you need to factor in whether you are prepared to spend the capital investing in a borehole. “Alternatively, rainwater is an option, but will likely need to be supplemented with municipal water during summer months. Or is treating municipal water to ensure it is safe and of the quality, you would like to achieve?”

Once you’ve established your water source, that’s when Ground 2 Tap Water Solutions can get involved. They’ll advise on the water treatment process and equipment required. “We offer a turn-key solution from analysing your water, designing the process, on-site installation, electrical installation and connecting the water to your house.”

Not only will a water system be better for your family but it will add value to your property. “If you put the capital investment aside, your monthly operating cost (including additional electricity consumption, consumables, and servicing) will likely be similar to or slightly less than your monthly municipal water bill was in the past,” Walker concludes.

BENEFITS OF A PRIVATE WATER SYSTEM

• You can put your mind at ease that the water you, your family and your household are using is safe and high-quality.

• You won’t be inconvenienced by water outages (which can last days at a time).

• You’ll secure your water supply in the event of future droughts.

• You’ll be doing what you can for the community by relieving the stressed municipal grid – your allocated water can go to a household that needs it more or can’t afford to get off the grid.

TIPS ON CHOOSING A WATER TREATMENT COMPANY

It is often difficult for residential homeowners to choose which contractor to use for their installation. You could be tempted to go with whoever is cheapest, but the age-old adage often holds: Nothing is as expensive as being cheap. Two contractors could quote on the same equipment, but a lot of it comes down to their technical know-how, engineering design and service standards, which is difficult for homeowners to assess.

Here are some tips:

Choose someone who has an engineering and qualityorientated approach.

During Day-Zero, every plumber and irrigation contractor became a self-proclaimed ‘water treatment expert’. Many of these contractors have disappeared and left their clients stranded with sub-par systems.

Find someone who understands the complex intricacies of water chemistry and has the operational experience to ensure you get the high-quality water your family deserves. Water treatment is complex – entrust it to someone who is qualified.

Find someone who guarantees your final water results – if they aren’t prepared to stand by their design and installation, then you may want to think twice.

Ask them about their servicing commitments – the last thing you want is to be left with a system and no one to service it.

Research the company and their track record – ask for client references and reference pictures.

Choose automation over manual intervention – if you are like most other homeowners, we are too busy with our day to remember to backwash our pool filters or clean the gutters. So choose a water treatment system that doesn’t add to your already busy schedule. Automated pH regulation, system alarms, inverter power backup for load shedding, and remote monitoring SMS devices are all add-ons that innovative water treatment companies such as Ground 2 Tap offer their clients to make their lives more comfortable.

GREEN SEASON SECRETS

Throughout most of Africa, the peak safari season has traditionally coincided with the dry winter season (roughly from July to October). “Old wisdom holds that this is when game viewing is ‘easiest’ because of the lack of vegetation and animals gathering at what remains of waterholes,” explains Sean Wilyman, founder of Wild & Isle Travel a travel booking company offering bespoke itineraries for private clients.

“At Wild & Isle we love the Green Season, however,” he says, explaining how it’s something of a secret season. “Usually the green season does not coincide with the summer vacation period in the northern hemisphere meaning reserve, lodge and park numbers are low, which means lower rates. It’s also a very special season for game viewing experiences.”

According to Wilyman, there is the chance for even better rates at some of the luxury lodges during these times as many of them offer SADC rates if trips are booked within a certain time of the client’s arrival.

Planning a safari in 2023, here are a handful of highlights of where to look:

BOTSWANA

The Green Season in Botswana starts with the December summer rains. The rains down here are characterised by heavy showers and thunderstorms, intersperse with breaches of sunshine. It’s spectacular.

With the abundance of water in the Okavango Delta and elsewhere the entire ecosystem flourishes. It is during this time that most of the antelope species give birth which with it brings a proliferation of predators and

Why the ‘off-season’ might be the best time to go on safari in Southern and Eastern Africa according to travel specialist, Sean Wilyman.

scavengers. In addition, the green season in Botswana triggers one of the largest (if lesser-known) migrations in Africa. Some 20 000 zebras and blue wildebeests leave the Chobe area and traverse north to where the Makgadigadi and Nxai Pans are covered in new growth.

TANZANIA

Tanzania has two distinct green seasons—the long rains (known as the ‘masika’) from around mid-March to May, and the short rains (called ‘vuli’) from November to January. Visiting Tanzania during the green season makes for some spectacular wildlife sightings.

From around May the Serengeti’s wildebeests are on the move with the area around Moru Kopjes and west of Seronera choked with classic scenes of hundreds of thousands of wildebeests, zebras, and gazelles.

Being just south of the equator the ‘wet’ season doesn’t mean that it gets cold, on the contrary, days can reach into the high 30s (Centigrade). You could easily luck into a week of sunshine for a coastal holiday on low season rates.

NAMIBIA

Namibia is a land of contrasts, with the dry season being exceptionally dry, while the green season is a study in abundance. The country is famed for its desert-adapted

elephants and rhinos. And, while it is special to experience them in their stark, dry surroundings, it is when the banks are green and the desert rivers flowing that make for truly oncein-a-lifetime sightings. In early 2021 Namibia experienced some of the heaviest rainfall in 20 years. The country was transformed with carpets of green. Life abounded and those who managed to travel there saw the famed desert-adapted elephants and rhinos with unique backdrops. During the green season, Wilyman recommends combining the trip with a few days down south in Sossusvlei, for the chance to see the desert in its finest green attire.

ZAMBIA

Zambia’s Luangwa Valley is green and lush from November to May. The forests are thick and the plains are covered with tall grasses. Rain showers are usually in the afternoons with the time in between being warm and sunny. Few of the lodges stay open, but those that do see returning, discerning birders who come to witness the influx of migratory birds and tick the big list of endemics. As with the other areas, there is also an abundance of new life on the ground as the herbivores give birth. May is also the prime time to see packs of wild dogs –one of Africa’s rarest predators.

www.wildandisle.com

FINANCIAL TIMES

How to utilise offshore structures effectively for intergenerational succession planning

We sat down with the Silvertree Risk & Wealth Management team to discuss making the most of the benefits.

As independent financial advisors, the highly experienced team at Silvertree Risk & Wealth Management are cognisant that many high-net-worth individuals who invest in offshore bank accounts do so for diversification of currency and country. This of course has various obvious (and some less obvious benefits) however, on death, it can be complicated and costly to deal with these assets, and ultimately delay the transfer of assets to beneficiaries.

According to the team, who make use of a range of products from Ninety One, “While offshore bank accounts are useful for short-term offshore funding needs, there are more efficient options one could consider when building an offshore nest egg.” They suggest a simple and tax-efficient vehicle such as the Offshore Endowment Policy from Ninety One that provides investors who are subject to higher tax rates with a tax-efficient way to invest offshore.

“With that product you have access to a range of top international investments covering all asset classes that we have carefully selected,” the team at Silvertree says. According to them, this investment vehicle is also a valuable estate planning tool, enabling your beneficiaries to get the maximum benefit from the investment after you pass away.

Let’s have a look at the key benefits of that particular product:

TAX BENEFITS

• The tax administration is taken care of by the underlying company, including calculating and paying tax. This means you don’t have to declare or pay tax or maintain tax records for this investment.

• You pay reduced tax rates as set out below: Income (if any) 30% (versus at investors marginal tax rate) Capital gains 12% (versus 18% in the hands of the individual investor)

ESTATE PLANNING BENEFITS

• Immediate access and potential tax relief can help your beneficiaries.

• You can nominate multiple beneficiaries.

• No capital gains tax is payable when the policy is transferred into the name of your beneficiary/ies after you pass away.

• If you nominate a beneficiary/ies, no executors’ fees are levied.

• If your spouse is the nominated beneficiary, no estate duty is payable.

• The proceeds are transferred directly to the beneficiary, instead of being frozen with other assets in your estate.

• If you are a South African resident on death, no foreign inheritance taxes will be payable. This is because the investor owns a policy domiciled in Guernsey, and no foreign inheritance taxes are currently payable in Guernsey. However, estate duty may be payable in South Africa.

• There is no requirement to apply for an offshore grant of probate (appointing a foreign agent to wind up foreign assets) if a beneficiary has been nominated who is able to receive the benefit.

While offshore policies typically have a five-year restriction period, there are two access points during this period. Further, there is full liquidity at maturity or at death, which means that should you pass away during the first five year period, the investment will be fully liquid to the nominated beneficiary.

For more info on this and other products, get in touch with the team at Silvertree Risk & Wealth Management.

Website: www.silvertreegroup.co.za

A look at Compliance Certificates

When you sell a property, it is your responsibility as the Seller to obtain certain compliance certificates before the property can be transferred to the new owner. Compliance with certain installations is prescribed by law throughout South Africa as protection for both Buyer and Seller. The banks usually require all of the necessary certificates for security purposes before giving the bond attorney the go-ahead to lodge the Buyer’s home loan.

Below, we list the necessary compliance certificates, as well as a few others that are also customary in some parts of South Africa.

ELECTRICAL COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

The requirements for an Electrical Compliance Certificate (ECOC) are set out in the regulations of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. It is a legal document which confirms that the electrical installation on the property is compliant with all the legal requirements stipulated in the Electrical Installations Occupational Health and Safety Act.

Electrical compliance certificates are valid for two years from the date of issue and a new certificate will not be required for transfer purposes should the existing certificate have been issued within the two years. If alterations have however been made to your electrical system, a new certificate will have to be issued before the registration of the transfer.

ELECTRICAL FENCE CERTIFICATE

An Electrical Fence Compliance Certificate must be issued by a qualified and registered electrician and is required if the property is surrounded by an electric fence, or if an electric fence has been modified since the issue of the last compliance certificate.

GAS COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE

This certificate certifies that gas appliances installed on the property are in safe and working condition. The certificate is issued by an authorised official registered with the Liquefied Petroleum Gas Safety Association of Southern Africa (LPGAS) and is not needed if the property is running purely on electricity.

Ulrik Strandvik, a Director at renowned property law firm, Gunston Strandvik, talks us through the certificates required when selling your home.

WATER INSTALLATION CERTIFICATE

Unlike the above-mentioned certificates, this certificate is specific to the City of Cape Town municipality and is required in terms of the City’s Water By-laws. This certificate certifies that the water supply to the property meets the requirements stipulated in the By-laws. It can only be issued by a qualified plumber and is valid for a period of two years. As with electrical certificates, if any alteration to the plumbing has been done, a new certificate will have to be arranged before registration of transfer.

BEETLE-FREE CERTIFICATE

Although this certificate is not required by law, it is still a customary practice to include the certificate in a sale agreement as a protection to the Buyer mainly as wood infestations are not always evident to the eye. The certificate certifies and confirms that the wood structures on the property are free from beetles that destroy wood. Most properties these days are not built with timber and many parties contract out of the beetle-certificate requirement.

Some frequently asked questions around compliance certificates:

Is the Seller required to obtain a compliance certificate against Invasive Plant Species?

Although it is not currently a legal requirement for the Seller to obtain a compliance certificate confirming that the property is free of any invasive plant species, every property owner is obligated to keep his/her home free of invasive species. Failure to remove invasive species from your private property may lead to a fine being imposed against the owner, these fines may be as hefty as 10 million rands.

Can the buyer take responsibility for the compliance certificates and if so what must the Agreement of Sale confirm?

The Buyer may take full responsibility for the issue of all compliance certificates, this applies to both organising the compliance companies as well as settling the professional fees owing to the compliance company. The Agreement of Sale will in this instance have to explicitly confirm that the Buyer will organise and attend to the issue of the compliance certificate, at his cost.

What about electrical fence certificates and body corporates? Does a Seller of a sectional title property (where there is an electric fence surrounding the scheme) require an electrical fence certificate?

Unlike electrical compliance certificates, electric fence compliance certificates are not valid for a specified period. The only time a new certificate is required is when alterations or repairs to the electric fence have been done. Given that the

electric fence surrounds the sectional title scheme and forms part of the common property, it is the responsibility of the Body Corporate to ensure that it is always in possession of a valid electric fence compliance certificate. A new certificate is not required for every transfer in the sectional title scheme, however, with each transfer, the Body Corporate must ensure that the compliance certificate on hand is valid.

What happens if there are problems with the electrics or plumbing after transfer? What can a Buyer do, and what is the Seller’s, Agent’s and Conveyancer’s responsibility respectively?

Compliance certificates do not cover all repairs to electrical and plumbing damages which are existing at the time of sale. Electrical compliance certificates confirm that the electrical system in the house is compliant with the requirements listed in the Occupational Health and Safety Act. Any issues not listed in the Act, are not required to be fixed by the Seller and a compliance certificate may be issued despite some existing issues not having been fixed, given that the issues may not form part of the listed requirements. If an electrical or plumbing fault does not form part of the required compliance, and the Seller was not aware of the issue before signing the sale agreement, the Seller is not required to fix the issue as the property is sold voetstoots, as is.

What does the plumbing certificate cover? Can I expect all plumbing issues to be fixed by the Seller?

The City of Cape Town’s Water By-law is very specific about the requirements to be met for a plumbing certificate to be issued. This is not an all-encompassing plumbing certificate which confirms that the entire plumbing system is in full working order, it is only intended as a protection for the Buyer against high water bills and leakages. The certificate only confirms that the water installation conforms to the National Building Regulations, that there are no defects in the plumbing system which can cause water to run to waste, no rainwater is leaking into the sewerage system, that the geyser is up to SABS standards and lastly that the water meter is registering correctly. Any plumbing issues detected by the Plumber which do not form part of the compliance requirements are not required to be fixed by the Seller if he had no prior knowledge of the issue when signing the Agreement of Sale, again, the voetstoots notion protects the Seller in this instance and the property is sold in the condition it was at the date of sale.

If you would like more information on compliance certificates, or if you need advice about the sale of your property, please feel free to get in touch with the writer, Ulrik Strandvik.

our Team of Exceptional Sales & Letting Agents.