Cathcart, Eastern Cape

Cathcart is a town in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa, named after Sir George Cathcart, governor of the Colony of the Cape of Good Hope 1852–1853. The town is the biltong capital of South Africa. The town is situated on the N6, 48 kilometres (30 mi) north of Stutterheim en route to Komani.

Cathcart
Main street in Cathcart
Cathcart
Cathcart
Cathcart
Coordinates: 32°18′S 27°08′E
CountrySouth Africa
ProvinceEastern Cape
DistrictAmathole
MunicipalityAmahlathi
Established1858[1]
Area
 • Total30.1 km2 (11.6 sq mi)
Population
 (2011)[2]
 • Total7,360
 • Density240/km2 (630/sq mi)
Racial makeup (2011)
 • Black African93.4%
 • Coloured2.0%
 • Indian/Asian0.1%
 • White4.3%
 • Other0.2%
First languages (2011)
 • IsiXhosa90.6%
 • English4.5%
 • Afrikaans3.1%
 • Other1.8%
Time zoneUTC+2 (SAST)
Postal code (street)
5310
PO box
5310
Area code045

Establishment

Originally a small military post, established during the Eighth Frontier War, it was established as a village in 1858 when German colonists arrived in the region. Work on its railway connection to East London on the coast was begun by the Cape government of John Molteno in 1876 and the line was officially opened on 3 November 1879.[3]

Religion
Church of Saint Alban at Cathcart in the Eastern Cape South Africa on the road to Aliwal North.

St. Alban's Anglican Church,[lower-alpha 1] built in 1886 is a well known landmark in Cathcart and has an unusual and distinctive Western façade.[4]

Education

There are a number of high schools and primary schools in Cathcart. Cathcart High School is located North of the town near the N6 route to Queenstown.[lower-alpha 2]

Notable people

References
  1. St. Alban's Anglican Church is located at 32°17′51″S 27°08′32″E
  2. Cathcart High School is located at 32°17′39″S 27°08′32″E
  1. "Chronological order of town establishment in South Africa based on Floyd (1960:20–26)" (PDF). pp. xlv–lii.
  2. Sum of the Subplaces Katikati SP, Daliwe SP, Carthcart SP and Rocklands from Census 2011.
  3. Burman 1984, p. 83.
  4. Menache & David 2015, p. 16.

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