This week the Property Poser panel deals with two similar questions regarding responsibility for maintenance in a sectional title complex. The first reader is having problems with water damage to built-in cupboards, caused by a leaking shower in the unit above. The body corporate referred the issue to the person living in that unit, but he is merely a tenant who has undertaken to contact the owner. In another matter, a reader complains about a badly neglected garden gate in one of the … [Read more...] about Owners responsible for section repairs
Columns
Granny’s Baked Spaghetti
My grandmother was a staunch Scot who survived the deprivations of Wartime Britain alone looking after children whilst my grandfather was off flying Spitfires against the Hun. The Longhair remembers Granny for her Rhubarb Pie, I remember Granny for her love of offal - kidneys, liver, brains, lambs hearts, tripe, haggis - you name it, she could cook it and make it taste scrumptious. One of her favourites that we have passed on is Granny's Baked Spaghetti: Ingredients: 250 grams bacon … [Read more...] about Granny’s Baked Spaghetti
Easy Meatballs
Cor de Wit writes; "If I cannot remember a recipe's ingredients after looking at it for five minutes, then I toss it as too complicated. I want them easy to remember, like this one." Ingredients: 500 gram lean mince. 1 packet of instant Oxtail soup. 1 egg. 15ml (1 tblsp) Olive oil. ½ teaspoon of dry garlic flakes. ½ teaspoon of crushed black pepper. Method: Thoroughly mix ALL the above ingredients in a bowl (use your hands!). Heat up a non-stick pan on low heat. Add … [Read more...] about Easy Meatballs
Best Chicken Kebabs
Wandering in the meat department one is always drawn to those displays of specially prepared meats. I must confess to being a little upset whenever I see those shining (read lots of sugar) marinades that most of the kebabs (sosaties) lie in saying; "Eat me". I am always drawn to the 'healthier' looking chicken kebabs that have some sort of yoghurt dressing. So, last night we decided to braai lean pork and chicken breasts served with Minty Mealies. Looking at the chicken breasts I thought … [Read more...] about Best Chicken Kebabs
Boundaries drive owner up the wall
This week the Property Poser panel considers a boundary wall problem with a few twists. About seven years ago a reader purchased a unit in a complex. She explains that her property lies adjacent to the boundary wall enclosing the entire development and a small river runs just beyond that. For about five of the seven years she has lived there, the local municipality cleaned up the riverbanks and secured the area with sandbags whenever there were heavy rains. When the owners of the … [Read more...] about Boundaries drive owner up the wall
Minty Mealies
As a young boy in the Transkei, one of Nelson Mandela's favourite snacks was fresh mealies cooked over an open fire - you can just imagine the kernels bursting with warm goodness, some slightly charred and nutty. There is something so visceral about eating food with one's hands - some people do this so well that they can 'get away with it' at the most posh of restaurants. Mealies, though, are the great leveller - you HAVE TO eat them with your hands. Ingredients: 4 Mealies - normally … [Read more...] about Minty Mealies
Suretyship makes CC members liable
This week the Property Poser panel deals with an issue where the defaulting tenant of a rental property is not a natural person but a close corporation (CC). The reader asks how a landlord can hold a tenant liable for a breach of contract when the tenant is a CC with only one member. In this instance, the contract has been cancelled and the tenant evicted. Unfortunately, no sureties were provided in terms of the rental agreement. As a result, the reader would like to know whether the … [Read more...] about Suretyship makes CC members liable
Levies Divide Homeowners Association Owners
This week, a reader confronts the Property Poser panel with a rather complex issue regarding levy payments in a freehold estate. He owns a property in such a development, which is managed by a homeowners' association (HOA). When the estate was developed, he says, it was decided that there would be 25 separate plots and that the levy would be shared equally among the owners. A few owners, however, purchased double plots and built only one property per combined erf. Effectively, the … [Read more...] about Levies Divide Homeowners Association Owners
Red Location Cabbage
In the mad 1980's I established a security business initially to service business people in the townships. Some peers said I was crazy but the people I met and experiences that I had were legend - to this day people are amazed that I can navigate the townships and place their homes within the context of shops and businesses - you must remember that in those days all street signs were removed as soon as they were put up to make it harder for the authorities to find and arrest so called … [Read more...] about Red Location Cabbage
Things are never so bad they can’t be made worse
Humphrey Bogart, a tough guy in real life and movie roles, once said with the insight of a prophet; "Things are never so bad they can't be made worse" - How true! Some South Africans are desperately grabbing at "too good to be true" opportunities to make "easy" money that promises relief from their debts. These vulnerable individuals are being recruited by organised crime syndicates to risk their lives and liberty by smuggling drugs and other illegal goods across international … [Read more...] about Things are never so bad they can’t be made worse
Ostrich Burger – At Least One Person Says I Could Sell and Retire on This Recipe
The Festive Season is the time when we host 'Die Kaapse Mense' - toys all over, late nights, even later mornings, great laughs and conversation. With hordes of people in the house, the Longhair and I never seem to get out of the kitchen - her to clean up and me to cook - what a partnership we have. Although I do clean up a bit and have the reputation of being a bit of a dictator if the dishwasher is incorrectly packed. On the last teary night before 'Die Kaapse Mense' left for home we had a … [Read more...] about Ostrich Burger – At Least One Person Says I Could Sell and Retire on This Recipe
Early cancellation leads to lease disagreement
This week's scenario presented to our Property Poser panel relates to the early cancellation of a lease by a landlady. The tenant recently received a call from the person in question, who requested that she vacate the property as soon as possible to accommodate her daughter who was unexpectedly returning from overseas. During the conversation the landlady, who realised that she was terminating the lease before the end of the term, offered to waive the last month's rental. The reader was … [Read more...] about Early cancellation leads to lease disagreement
Thai Seafood Green Curry
The wonderful warm weather that we have been experiencing in Port Elizabeth has cooks and their hungry hordes feeling listless and not up to eating a big or cooked meals every night, so salads and fish braais have been the order of the day. Someone once told me that the best thing to eat on a hot day is spicy food - after all the heat and humidity in a place like Thailand doesn't stop the Thais from spicing up their food! So last night was Thai Seafood Green Curry Night. We have done … [Read more...] about Thai Seafood Green Curry
Lamb Schnitzel
In our family we have the NMMU Rowing Captain Carnivore who is well versed in the art of inhaling food and the horse riding nut who has sworn off of red meat. This results in a situation where we almost always end up catering for two different meals at supper time. With the Rowing nut stepping up his training pace I was faced with 4 chicken breasts and 4 lamb chops for supper. Post Christmas is budget and food stretching time as we count down the days to the next tip masquerading as a pay … [Read more...] about Lamb Schnitzel
Magic Bacon
A Sunday brunch fry up is nothing without bacon. The splattering of bacon over the hob doesn't fill me with joy, though. Bacon, after all, is really just thin strips of gammon so I devised this method of cooking bacon in the oven. Ingredients: One packet of bacon Cinnamon to sprinkle Honey to taste Method: Place a flat roasting pan (Spray and Cook or oil first) in the oven and heat to 180 centigrade Take the pan out and lay the individual strips of bacon in the … [Read more...] about Magic Bacon
