Kathu

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Kathu
Kathu Show map of Northern Cape Kathu Show map of South Africa
Coordinates: 27°42′S 23°03′E / 27.700°S 23.050°E / -27.700; 23.050
Country	South Africa
Province	Northern Cape
District	John Taolo Gaetsewe
Municipality	Gamagara
Area [1]
• Total	15.56 km2 (6.01 sq mi)
Population  (2011)[1]
• Total	11,510
• Density	740/km2 (1,900/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011) [1]
• Black African	39.2%
• Coloured	21.7%
• Indian/Asian	0.6%
• White African	38.0%
• Other	0.6%
First languages (2011) [1]
• Afrikaans	62.1%
• Tswana	23.4%
• English	6.0%
• Sotho	1.8%
• Other	6.8%
Time zone	UTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)	8446
PO box	8446
Area code	053

Kathu is a town in South Africa, and the iron ore capital of the Northern Cape province. Its name means "town under the trees", after the Camel Thorn forest it is situated in. The phrase "the town under the trees" was coined by an engineer working in the town in the early-1990s as part of a tourist marketing drive, together with the accompanying graphic. It was intended to be a marketing slogan. The meaning of the word "Kathu" has anecdotically been attributed to a porridge brewed by the local population from the powder found in the pods of the Camel Thorn trees.

Kathu was founded in the late-1960s or early-1970s.

Kathu is situated between Upington and Vryburg with about a 2-hour drive to each. Kimberley is a 3-hour drive away, while Kuruman is only 20 minutes away.