The land which would become Kleinfontein came to the attention of Afrikaner activists in 1988 during a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Great Trek on a farm east of Pretoria. The farm drew their attention as a location of the Bittereinders and site of the Battle of Diamond Hill, as well as holding a historic Boer War cemetery and memorial. When the farm was put up for sale in 1992, a group of 50 Afrikaners purchased the property, and began to recruit shareholders to develop it.