Hi, I don't know if the same procedure applies in South Africa, as the UK, but here you would sow the seed where you want the plant to grow, or in containers outdoors, as soon as they're ripe, or you can graft them in late winter, or bud them in late summer, Derek.

I don't know about maples, but with the pine seeds, I would skip the hot water, plant the seeds in containers of moist, gritty compost, put them in perforated plastic bags, and keep in the veggie drawer of the fridge for 2-3 months. Put them in a warm spot, then, so the seeds can sprout. Since they will then be a little off season in your area, you may need to keep them in a sheltered area over the winter, since they will need to face the weather without full root development.