The OPPORTUNITY
The opportunity to invest in this haven of biodiversity and tranquility has arisen – and will be available for a short window of time only – out of the need to get more hands on deck to manage operations, which hitherto has been the responsibility of the Wild Rescue NPC in terms of its lease. The release of the NPC from these obligations will allow its members to focus their efforts on its core objectives of wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.
The Wild Goukou Sustainability Strategy was conceived in February 2022 with the aim of attracting five conservation enthusiasts to join forces with the founding members to manage operations and maintenance of the entire property and ensure its continuation as a protected critical biodiversity area.
Through your investment, you’ll become a shareholder in the Company and thereby gain access to the nature reserve, exclusive use of a cottage fully maintained by the Company, and the opportunity to actively contribute to the ongoing conservation and development of the nature reserve and agriculture components of the land holding.
Current operations include short-term rentals of three existing tourist accommodation units and maintenance of buildings and infrastructure. The Strategy aims to improve financial viability of these operations through targeted upgrades of the rental stock and the existing energy and water supply systems, and the addition of five new accommodation units (the Cottages). Each of these will be allocated for the exclusive use of the five new shareholders, who may use them for their own purposes and/or rent them out as short-term tourist accommodation.
The property will further be occupied by the Wild Rescue NPC which will contribute its fair share of costs in terms of a new lease agreement with Wild Goukou Proprietary Limited, the company that owns the property. Its premises are situated in the Agriculture zone, with a plant nursery and some storage in the Outbuilding next to the Homestead, which is the sixth exclusive use area.
The Outbuilding houses one of the rental accommodation units, the resident maintenance manager, a workshop, and a large Recreation Room cum Education Centre which will be available to shareholders and the NPC via a booking system, for socialising, events and training.
In the longer term, the Company – on instruction from its shareholders – will be able to continue to optimise operations and attract further investment through limited development projects that are permitted within the property’s Agriculture I and Open Space IV precincts in terms of the municipal zoning scheme parameters and provided for within the Company’s Memorandum of Incorporation.
THE NEW COTTAGES
Most of the income from the sale of subscription shares will be allocated to building five small accommodation units in the eastern section of the nature reserve, near the existing Stone Cottages, where the Goukou River gorge affords good views to certain sites.
The units are designed to nestle into the vegetation and make optimal use of a small footprint to accommodate a diversity of lifestyles and needs.
Each 72 m2 cottage occupies a defined Exclusive Use Area that includes outdoor space and a carport. The
extent of these areas is purposely limited, to minimise impact on indigenous vegetation and afford privacy between neighbours. The Cottage sites will be linked by a pathway system integrated with the nature reserve’s hiking trails, and served by a farm-style sandy track complete with middelmannetjie. Each will have a shaded carport and one open parking bay.
The Cottages will be built according to a single-storey prototype design that responds to prevailing weather conditions, and each will be rotated slightly to respond to view opportunities.
The layout revolves around a central open-plan multi-functional space that accommodates food preparation and space for a large table for dining and ‘doing’, opening out to a north-facing vine-covered stoep and, on the opposite side, a study or hobby area with a large south-facing view window.
This central core is flanked by a bedroom and bathroom on the west, a scullery cum pantry in the south-east corner and, on the north-east, a small sitting room that could double up as a bedroom, or swap roles with the study cum hobby area.
The Cottage sites are located about a half-kilometre to the east of the main homestead and outbuilding, which are served by an Eskom connection. A battery-charging service will be available as back-up in the event that the Cottages’ solar-powered reserves run low.
The building will be insulated and equipped with a safe outdoor braai place, a wood stove for space heating, a gas water heater and connection for a gas stove.
How much would I be investing?
An investment of R1,982,834 secures a bundle of 9,799 ordinary, no par value shares and one Exclusivity Rights share, representing a 9.8% share of the Company’s 100,000 issued shares upon conclusion of all the five new investment transactions.
Will there be ongoing costs?
The Sustainability Strategy rests upon the property users – those shareholders holding rights to Exclusive Use of an Exclusive Use Area – contributing to the operation and maintenance costs through the payment of monthly levies. During the first year, while the Cottages are under construction, levies will be R550 per month, increasing to R1,650 per month in the second year, upon completion of the Cottages. Annual price increases thereafter will be proposed by the Board, as a component of the Annual Budget, for adoption by shareholders.