Gallo Manor residents irk Country Club
JOHANNESBURG Country Club in Woodmead has accused some Gallo Manor residents of trespassing on its property.
The club’s operations manager Steve Nicholson alleged that to secure their homes from burglaries some residents had entered the club’s property and created a fire break next to the perimeter of the club. They apparently also placed razor wire on the ground and cut down the shrubs and trees without the club’s permission.
Nicholson said he understood the security risk in the area as several houses had been broken into, but added the club was trying to find a solution to prevent these crimes. He requested that residents put razor wire on top of their walls instead of on the ground as this had injured some of the animals on the club’s property.
Complaints were received from Gallo Manor residents whose concerns focused on the overgrown dense bush, which, they claim, had been used as a stakeout point for the robbers.
Marketing and communications manager of the club, Nikki Espley-Jones, was surprised at the alleged actions of residents as the club had undertaken a project to clear the area between the houses and the golf course.
Espley-Jones said they worked hand-in-hand with the community, Jade Archer of the Zandfontein Farm Home Owners’ Association and the ward councillors. There were regular club patrols every day at sunrise and sunset, and the groundskeepers were asked to keep alert for suspicious behaviour.
Archer was shocked when she heard about the alleged trespassing of residents. “There would be no reason to trespass behind the Country Club’s back,” she said.
She said she was aware of the issues that residents have with security risks, but would like to come to a solution that works for the club and the association.
This is a factually incorrect article which creates a misrepresentation of the events. I therefore view it as poor journalism as a healthy working relationship has been established between the Johannesburg Country Club and Gallo Manor.
The photographer has incorrectly reported on resident digging up the ground on the JCC property. The ditch in the photograph has been there for many years, and was only uncovered when overgrown and dead vegetation was removed from the fence to reduce a very real fire risk, and in order to replace the >30 old fence with palisade fencing.
Further, in the spirit of co-operation mentioned by Ms Archer, the owner of the property has already amicably engaged with the operations manager regarding the erection of the new fence.