A former politician in Transvaal, he crossed the Kalahari several times and set up a small trading enterprise in Ghanzi, where was known for his flamboyant character and extravagant wealth.
He gained a reputation for ruthlessness in his business dealings, and even initially refused water to the Dorsland Trekkers on their way to Angola in 1875.
With a vast ivory fortune, van Zyl built a two-story mansion with stained glass windows and imported furniture from France, the ruins of which still stand today.
[3] His hunting prowess was so well known and remarkable in the region, it was recorded in one single day van Zyl and his sons slaughtered 103 elephants.
[1] It is alleged that in the Gcwihaba cave, in northwest Botswana, van Zyl stashed a great fortune in the late 19th century.