Kathu Area Profile

Kathu at a glance

Kathu is a small and interesting town located in the Northern Cape’s Kalahari region. Geographically the town is intersected by the R380 regional road and lies approximately 220 kilometres northeast of Upington and 190 kilometres southwest of Vryburg. Kathu properties will place owners and investors about 3 hours drive away from the nearest main centre of Kimberly, to which it is linked by reliable rail, air and road transportation channels. The town’s location also makes it the iron ore capital of the region with a thriving local community and an active residential property market.  

What is unique about Kathu as a town?

The town’s name essentially means “town under the trees” making reference to the vast Camel Thorn forest it is located in, and was coined after a marketing initiative to promote the town was made public. The name Kathu, however, for the local inhabitants refers to a porridge type food that is made using the powder found inside of the pods of the Camel Thorn Trees. The settlement is relatively young compared to some of its neighbours, being founded in the late 1960’s.

One of the town’s most unique features has to be the vast Camel Thorn Tree forest; it is one of only two found throughout the world. The forest impressively spans around 4000 hectares of land and was declared a Natural Heritage Site in 1995. It provides home to a varied group of plants, birds and animals. Of-course the town’s existence is primarily centred on the immensely rich iron ore deposits. In fact, the open-cast iron ore mine is one of largest in the world. Visitors and residents who take on guided tours of the mine are often astounded by the sheer magnitude of the operation. The mining operation also means the area is blessed with fantastic infrastructure including its own airport which boasts the longest tarred runway in the Southern Hemisphere.

What is the Kathu property stock composition?

Kathu’s market stock comprises solely of freehold properties, some of which are located in secure estates. The estate properties make up around 11% of the stock while the remaining 89% of the properties are standalone freehold plots as per recent Lighthouse reports. The continuing development of the town means that it is still expanding with a number of vacant plots available to buyers who are looking to build their dream home or with commercial intent. There are a wide variety of different freestanding options available from expansive farms and family homes, to smaller townhouses. This wide assortment of properties ensures that finding the ideal Kathu property within your taste and budget requirements, will be that much easier.