The San community of Platfontein originally came from either Angola the Caprivi strip or different areas of Namibia.

Because of the San's (Bushmen) tracking ability, they were recruited by the Portuguese as trackers during the Portuguese war in the late 1960's in Angola. Between 1972 and 1974 the San were transferred to the SA Defense Force's 31 Battalion base at Omega in the Caprivi strip.

The SA Defense Force used the trackers of 31 Battalion against Swapo and FAPLA.

In 1990 the SA Defense Force gave these people the choice to either stay behind or to relocate to South Africa. Those who decided to leave Namibia were flown to South Africa. The relocation process started in March 1990.  The SAN people were flown in from either Grootfontein or Omega base in Namibia to Kimberley in the Northern Cape.  They lived for 13 years at Schmidtdrift.

They were settled in a tent town at Schmidtsdrif, approximately 90 km from Kimberley in the Northern Cape. Schmidtsdrif was used by the SA Defense Force as a training camp for soldiers. On arrival the SA Defense Force gave the families tents to live in.

This group of ± 5000 San people consists of two communities: the !Xun and the Khwe (also known as the Vesekela and Barakhwena tribes).

Every community has their own traditional and political leaders. Mario Mahongo is the leader of the !Xun community and Nicholas Tenda of the Khwe community.

The SAN community needed a CPA (Communal Property Association) to co-ordinate the affairs of the people. They appointed Thomsen Nore of the Khwe community and Rennie Mishe of the !Xun community to handle the property of the !Xun & Khwe people, relating to all property purchased via the Dept. of Land Affair's Land Redistribution programme, in order for the !Xun & Khwe to settle on their own land.

In November 2003 the first San people were relocated from Schmidtsdrift to their permanent place in Platfontein.