Brief History

The vision of Mr David Magang, the Chairman of the Phakalane Estates Group, over three decades ago led to the planning of an extensive redevelopment of the family farm into a progressive and far sighted Private Sector Initiative. It was to be the precursor of the privately developed suburb in Botswana. Phakalane, the suburb of Gaborone is now the most sought-after address in Botswana and the increase in the property values and media coverage of the lifestyle bears testimony to this.

The farm owned by Phakalane Estates Pty Ltd., was originally an agricultural farm focusing mainly on cattle ranching. The Sim family, of Irish descent, acquired the farm from the South Africa Chartered Company in 1903. Elizabeth Sim inherited the farm from her husband and it was transferred to her in 1928 and subsequently to George Sim, from whom the Magang family purchased the property in 1976.

After seven years of continuous struggle to acquire planning permission from Government and various public authorities, the company received approval in principle in 1985. Final approval was authorised in 1989 and the actual infrastructural development commenced in 1989, ten years after the initial application in 1978.