Deen's Father and Zeekoevlei
In 2002 my father bought a plot in Zeekoevlei and built a house for my grandparents. The plot was next to a giant sand pit full of rubble and dirt , which was basically on the vlei (lake). My grandparents' house was one of the first houses to built on the northern shore line of the Zeekoevlei. My dad loved the newly established area known as Zeekoevlei so much that he decided to buy the plot next door to my grandparent's house and build a house for us. After our house was built, the area along the lake was still very dry and sandy, so my dad and one of the neighbours made calls to different nature reserves and botanical gardens and asked for donations of various types of Fynbos plants. Because of their efforts, Bottom Road in Zeekoevlei was transformed from a dry, sandy , desert into a lush vegetated sanctuary by a beautiful lake. This transformation has attracted many more houses and families over the years.
Q How did know about Zeekoevlei, and where did you hear about it?
A I was driving around the area looking for plots on sale.
Q Why did you buy a plot for your parents ?
A For a few reasons- peace and tranquility, and because of the lake and the environment. I also bought the plot so I could keep an eye on my parents as they got older. This place was ideal for them.
Q How was it funded?
A I got some money from investments, savings, and proceeds from the sale of my parents previous home.
Q How long did it take you to complete both houses?
A Your grandparents house took 6-8 months, and our house was built in stages over 3 years.
Q What made you decide to plant indigenous vegetation on the northern shorelines of the Zeekoevlei Lake?
A We wanted to "clean up", get rid of all the rubble , litter and dry vegetation , so I collaborated with a neighbour , Calvin Cochran and we had a meeting with the management of an adjacent nature reserve. We volunteered to give up part of our property for the Fynbos plants.
Q Were there costs involved?
A We as residents employed our own helpers to plant the plants- other than that, the rest of the costs were free. We planted R5 million worth of plants
Q Would you say you achieved the potential you saw many years back?
A Yes, I saw past all the rubbish and dirt and envisioned something along the lines of what we have today.
Q Do you think other people have benefited in the community besides you?
A We have certainly beautified the area, and made it a joy for people to visit- especially for naturalists and bird lovers. And, the market value of all the properties in the area went up.
Q Would you call yourself a "nature man"?
A Yes , I love the outdoors and hiking.
Q What is your next project?
A To become self-sufficient by installing a rain catchment system, solar panels, and a wind turbine.