The South African luxury estate that used to be a sugar farm

Zimbali Estate in KwaZulu-Natal, which boasts some of the most sought-after luxury real estate in South Africa, was once a sugar cane farm before developers acquired it in the early 1900s for residential property development.

Today, it offers visitors and residents a range of activities, including a five-star golf course, serene natural settings, and direct beach access.

After it was first acquired, the property changed hands several times before KZN agricultural heavyweights Tongaat Hullet got involved through its property subsidiary Moreland Estates.  

Moreland Estates, now Tongaat Hullet Developments, eventually purchased the property in the late 1900s and turned it into Zimbali, which is isiZulu for “place of the flowers.”

However, it wasn’t until 1996 that the first plots of land were sold and owners could begin building their houses.

Today, Zimbali consists of a residential estate, the Zimbali Coastal Forest Estate, and a resort estate, known as the Zimbali Golf Course Estate.

The two were initially separated by the M4 highway, which connected Durban to Ballito. However, this was rerouted in 2005 as part of the estate’s development plan.

There are approximately 1,286 residential units in the greater estate, which are nestled in the lush coastal forest, offering residents.

In 2003, a joint venture between the IFA Hotels and Resorts and Tongaat Hullet Developments helped to establish it as the premier resort developer in the country.

The resort went on to sell over R1 billion worth of real estate over the next few years.

Conserving the area was said to have been a priority from the very beginning, and the area in the estate known as “Holy Hill”, roughly 50 hectares in size, became a zoned conservation area in the early 1990s.

According to the developers, the vision was to create a quality of life development with an ethos of “living in harmony with nature.”

All primary dune areas within the two estates are also demarcated conservation areas.

In addition to the Zimbali locals, the estate is also home to over 200 bird species and a multitude of butterflies, thanks to the spring water lakes situated within its borders.

There are also several species of wildlife, which include bushbuck, the blue duiker, bushbabies, vervet monkeys, banded mongoose, and bush pigs.

To add to Zimbali’s natural offering, residents and visitors also have access to 3 kilometres of unspoilt beach, providing access to the warm Indian Ocean.

A five-star hotel and golf course

The resort also offers five-star accommodation for those who do not reside in the estate, in the form of a hotel and lodge.

The Capital Zimbali Hotel is described as a premier work, play, and stay destination offering an elevated view of the coastline, access to a spa, golf course, gym, and even a gin academy.

For those who prefer to feel a little closer to nature, the Zimbali Lodge offers 18 hotel suites and 35 self-catering vacation ownership units.

Residents and visitors have access to the estate’s par 72 championship golf course designed by former South African P.G.A. and British Open Champion Tom Weiskopf.

The course includes a mix of open links-like holes on the front nine, and tree-lined holes with water features and wetland areas make up the back nine.

This allows players to fully immerse themselves in the scenery and wildlife throughout the estate.

The cost of 18 holes currently costs R350. However, an unlimited annual package is available for frequent visitors at R22,000.

Property prices

According to Property24, real estate in Zimbali ranges from R1.5 million for a one-bedroom apartment to a maximum of R55 million for a five-bedroom house.

Apartments range in size from 32 square meters to as much as 546 square meters, with the most expensive flat on the platform currently listed at R10.9 million for three bedrooms.

As for houses, the most affordable units start at three bedrooms and are listed for R4.5 million. Four-bedroom houses can cost anything from R5.5 million to R38 million.

Five-bedroom houses start at R8 million and can reach over R50 million. However, these are only those currently on the market.

The Special Investigating Unit, which placed several of tenderpreneur Hangwani Maumela’s assets under forfeiture pending an investigation, revealed that one of his properties in Zimbali estate is valued at R94.1 million.

More photos of Zimbali Estate