June 2026

MESSAGE FROM THE ESTATE MANAGER

Dear Residents,

June marks three years as your Estate Manager — a milestone I have been looking forward to acknowledging, not to take stock of a list, but to reflect genuinely on what these years have meant.

When I completed my first year, I described it as purposeful — a year in which important groundwork had been laid. Looking back now, I can see how much that groundwork has allowed us to build, improve, and mature as an Estate.

Security has remained one of our most important responsibilities, and it is the area where the distance travelled is perhaps most visible. Underpinning all of this has been a rigorous approach to procurement: formal RFP and tender processes were concluded for security and guarding, landscaping, IT and telephony services, CCTV maintenance, and full fibre-based failover to always keep Estate communications and surveillance online — each appointment the result of a structured, competitive process. From those foundations, we moved to meaningfully modern solutions: facial recognition, the Fourways Gardens App (incorporating communications, access control, facility bookings and automated goods removals into one platform), and the Docked Drone Solution — making us the first Estate in Northern Johannesburg to receive full regulatory approval for this technology. These are not just upgrades. They represent a sustained commitment to a safer, smarter Estate.

We have also worked steadily to improve the spaces residents use every day. The Phase 2 waterway and dam restoration was the most significant project of this period — requiring persistence, environmental care, and close cooperation with external stakeholders. Upgrades to parks, gazebos, ablution facilities, fencing, walkways, road markings, tennis facilities, and traffic-calming measures have all been part of the ongoing work to keep Fourways Gardens beautiful and future-focused. The Phase 1 Park upgrade, currently underway, is the latest expression of that commitment.

Governance has been strengthened in ways that are less visible but no less important. Updated Conduct Rules, the Property Sale and Lease Policy, and a comprehensive overhaul of the Property Practitioner framework have created clearer, fairer processes for all. The updated Architectural and Aesthetic Guidelines deserve particular mention: they preserve the Estate’s visual character and kerb appeal, and when residents consult them before undertaking improvements, they protect their own investment and the collective appeal that makes Fourways Gardens such a desirable address. Our partnerships with JCPZ, Johannesburg Water, Eskom, the JRA, GDARD, Douglasdale SAPS and CPF, and neighbouring estates have grown meaningfully — improving responsiveness and ensuring Fourways Gardens is recognised as a responsible community within the broader municipal environment. Our membership of the Fourways Improvement District (FID) is also a contribution to the revitalisation of the Fourways area, to the benefit of us all.

The property market tells its own story. Fourways Gardens has entered a new era in property values — breaching thresholds that have historically been beyond our reach. According to the April 2026 Lightstone report, the freehold median has risen 17.7% over the decade, with 64 freehold transfers registered in 2025. More telling still: 51% of owners have held their properties for over eleven years — one of the strongest long-tenure profiles in the region, and a measure of the kind of community Fourways Gardens has become. We are proud to have played a role in building and protecting that reputation.

What stands out most is the people and the community we have built together. From our 40th birthday celebration, EcoKids, Movie Nights, Family Campouts, the Junior Entrepreneur Market, Trick-or-Treat and Festive Markets, to blood drives, charity initiatives, and gatherings for new residents and seniors — the calendar has grown richer every year. The Farmer’s Market, introduced in early 2026, has already become a firm favourite: the May event drew nearly three times the original vendor count, with live music and face painting, and an energy that felt entirely natural to who we are. These occasions do not happen by accident. I have been consistently moved by the generosity and enthusiasm of residents, and by the dedication of the HOA team who bring these events to life alongside their day-to-day responsibilities.

None of this happens without the right people.

My sincere gratitude goes to every Board member — past and current — who has served with commitment and care. Board membership is voluntary, and the choice to give your time to governance and to the long-term interests of this community is not a small one. The work is rarely visible, but its impact is always felt. Thank you.
And to the HOA team: your professionalism sets the standard, and your willingness to go beyond what is asked of you every day is what makes this Estate function as well as it does. You show up consistently, you care about the details, and this community is better for it.

I am truly grateful to work alongside each of you.

And so, with three years behind us, June is far from quiet. The Phase 1 Park upgrade is well underway, with completion by the end of June. The Chorisia Lane reinstatement continues under the JRA’s programme, with golf cart support available for affected households. Youth Day brings the second FWG MTB & Trail Run Festival on 16 June — free entry for residents. The Board and HOA Management are finalising the 2025/2026 Annual Financial Statements ahead of the AGM, which will also include the Conduct Rules member engagement phase and, as always, the opportunity for residents to put their hand up for the Board.

As always, thank you for your patience, your participation, and your support. It has been a privilege — and there is still much to look forward to.

Warm regards,

Charlene