Jan Smuts

Nellmapius often entertained in grand style at Irene and amongst his guests were many well-known personalities including President Kruger and former Prime Minister General Jan Smuts, the man who crafted the draft of the Covenant of the United Nations, who lived in this house on the adjacent property.

Irene was first proclaimed a township in 1902 and today it is officially part of the municipality of Centurion.

The Irene Golf Course, between the Irene Dairy Farm and Smuts House, was laid out by Bert Van der Byl and Jan Smuts in 1911.

Reference: “The tycoon & the president: The life and times of Alois Hugo Nellmapius, 18471893”, by Helga Kaye, published by Macmillan