VAL DE VIE HOA TRUSTEES
Jan Botha
As the co-owner and Business Development Director of Online Intelligence, an international company, he established and expanded over the past 20 years to have a client base in 39 countries worldwide. He served on the Board of Silver Lakes Golf Estate for five years, responsible for security. Under his leadership, Silver Lakes Golf Estate was voted “Safest Estate in South Africa” for three consecutive years.
Jan wholeheartedly supports the Super Estate vision and believes that best-in-class security is the only standard to protect all residents and the Estate’s property and investment values. He served on the Security Sub-committee for two years. Jan was born and educated in Pretoria, obtaining a BA Honours degree in Social Science from the University of Pretoria in 1990, specialising in Criminology. He obtained further qualifications in Security Management, Intelligence and Analysis. He worked within the National Intelligence Service, the Secret Service and the Scorpions, where he headed various departments and travelled overseas extensively.
Jan and his family moved to Val de Vie Estate in December 2016. Jan has been married for twenty years and lives on the Estate with his wife and two children, a daughter aged 17 and a son aged 15. He is a Val de Vie Polo Club member and an avid equestrian enthusiast.
Jonathan Bloom
Dr Jonathan Bloom holds a PhD in Corporate Finance from Stellenbosch University and, until 2013, was a Professor of Corporate Finance specialising in Real Estate Investment and Financing at the same institution. He published various national and international articles in fields such as Business, Economics and Strategy, Corporate Financial Management and Business Assessment, Artificial Intelligence and Knowledge Mining for business and finance.
He has been involved in the private sector for 22 years. He has consulted as a business advisor to various JSElisted companies and for multiple clients and real estate developers in Southern Africa, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific. In conjunction with National Treasury, he assists various district and local municipalities with establishing public-private partnerships and preparing
real estate development and spatial planning strategies.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) used his services in Namibia for development projects. Jonathan has undertaken various implementation assignments in diverse sectors and industries such as Transport, Infrastructure, Tourism and Hospitality, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Retail and Entertainment. Jonathan is also a non-executive director
of companies.
He is leading the Due Diligence process, a critical part of the Amalgamation of Val de Vie I and II HOAs. Jonathan and his wife, Marinda, moved to Val de Vie Estate in 2018, and he has served as a homeowner-elected trustee ever since.
Rudi Eggers
Rudi started as a Detective in the South African Police in 1979. He completed a degree in Economics and began his business journey. In 2000 Rudi co-founded
International Slab Sales, the largest distributor of quartz and natural stone surfaces for the construction industry in Sub-Saharan Africa.
He has been Managing Director since, continuing to lead the surface industry with product innovation and successful business development.
With over 15 years of experience as a Trustee on various HOAs in Johannesburg and Durban, Rudi is experienced in community management and living. Rudi and Lynn built their home and have lived in Val de Vie Estate since 2017, and they have three adult children.
We thank our homeowner-elected trustees for serving the Val de Vie Estate community and investing their time and effort into creating a better estate for all
Stephen Whitehead
Stephen is a qualified architect and retired from one of the largest commercial practices in South Africa, where he had been a director after twenty-four years of service. He continues to act as a consultant to the practice and manage other ongoing property and development responsibilities in his personal capacity. He is registered with SACAP, a member of SAIA and CiFA and a previous winner of an Institute of Architects merit award for design work and an Institute of Timber Construction award for residential work.
In addition to a stint lecturing design at the university level, he served as the Building and Development advisor to the Newlands Residents Association in Cape Town for over twenty years, liaising and negotiating with applicants, residents and the Local Authority in this role.
Stephen’s involvement with Val de Vie Estate stretches back to original land use applications and infrastructure development, and he has been involved in the built infrastructure of the Estate over an extended period. Stephen was first elected as a homeowner-elected trustee in August 2020, and he serves on the Super Estate Sub-Committee and various other committees. Stephen has been married to his wife, Beverley, for over 30 years, and they have two adult children
Riaan Crafford
Riaan is an accomplished senior executive security specialist with a wealth of experience from a distinguished career spanning over three decades. Throughout his career, Riaan has led diverse security strategies across multinational organisations, earning a reputation as a versatile and highly skilled professional.
His expertise is in crafting tailored security solutions encompassing various facets such as Physical Security, Investigations, Risk Management, Technical Security Strategy, and Security Engineering Management. Riaan’s leadership style is characterised by a belief in the strength of collaborative partnerships, both within the organisation and with external stakeholders.
With a keen eye for policy development and cross-enterprise frameworks, Riaan navigates the complex landscape of security protocols, ensuring alignment with evolving global trends while meeting specific business requirements.
Beyond his professional endeavours, Riaan’s commitment extends to his community. He assumed the role of Chairperson of the Security Committee after being co-opted as a homeowner trustee. His vision as Chair is to ensure a safe and secure environment in partnership with our greater community by delivering a dynamic and fit for purpose security service.
His educational background, including a Bachelor of Technology specialising in Criminal Justice and Police Science, along with a strategic leadership course from the renowned Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) and an ISMA Strategic Leadership Program at Georgetown University, underscores his dedication to continuous growth and knowledge enhancement.
In his personal life, Riaan finds joy in family moments with his wife, Sandra, and their three accomplished children, each having completed their studies and embarking on their careers. Passionate about outdoor activities, Riaan and Sandra savour the many opportunities this magnificent estate provides. Their love for the exquisite wines of the Winelands has made this picturesque location their cherished home since 2021. Riaan is a horse-riding enthusiast and an avid golfer
MARTIN VENTER
Martin Venter is founder and CEO of the Val de Vie Group of Companies. He has sufficient experience and knowledge to lead the development and professional team for the conceptualization and the implementation of any size of property development. His qualifications include BLC (Law), LLB (UP), Hons., MBA (US) and R.E.E.S, Private Equity and Venture Capital (Harvard Business School). Martin gained extensive experience in property development and property investment as one of the founding directors in Atterbury Property Cape (Pty) Ltd. As developer he has completed many successful residential and commercial property developments. He was awarded the ABSA entrepreneur of the year in 1994. He focusses on deal making, business development and strategic planning.
RYK NEETHLING
Ryk Neethling / Marketing Director and Shareholder of the Val de Vie Group of Companies
Ryk Neethling has played an instrumental role since his appointment in 2009 as the Marketing Director & Shareholder of the Val de Vie Group of Companies. Ryk’s business career started while he spent time in the real estate industry in the USA, assisting in the development, management and sales of various commercial properties in Arizona and California. This experience equipped him in establishing Cape Winelands Properties, the official on-site property agency for Val de Vie Estate, with his business partners. His strategic approach to implementing brand and marketing plans is evident in the numerous successfully sold-out developments of the Val de Vie Group of Companies. Under Ryk’s leadership, theVal de Vie brand has internationally been positioned as pioneering in the world of luxury property development. Ryk holds a BA degree in Psychology and Business from the University of Arizona. He is a Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Ambassador, founder of Learn to Swim Academies, three-time World Champion and an Olympic Gold Medalist.