Hotazel, Kalahari
The temptation to wordplay with the self-evident 'hot as hell' angle of this town's name is great. Restrain ourselves we would if it were not for the fact that Hotazel really did acquire its name from its association with heat (despite the fact that it actually does not get quite as hot as other places in the Kalahari, but who actually keeps track once it's over 37 degrees Celsius?).
The story, for there is one, involves a group of land surveyors who, after something of a drinking session out on the red sands close by (there is little else to do out here) labelled it 'hot as hell' and, clearly, the name stuck for when it officially became a town, somewhere in the 1950s, only a couple of alphabetical letters shifted as it made its way on to the register. Even the farm established here took on the name, Hotazel.
Hotazel lies north west of Kuruman, virtually on the border with Botswana. The bush-covered landscape, reminiscent of the desert – featureless, flat and dry - is not without its own beauty. The Kgalagadi, or waterless place, is where the San (Saan) lived for thousands of years, without finding it particularly hot or cumbersome. But then they have lived in harmony with nature for at least 20 000 years.
Hotazel is home to an open-quarry manganese ore mine and sinter plant. Interestingly, the mine is South Africa's first black woman owned manganese mine, said to be the world's largest sinter plant, producing three million tons of ore every year. The ore is used to produce 2.4 million tons of sinter (sintering involves the mixing, agglomeration and semismelting of manganese ore, fine coke, fluxes and recycled dust into sintered product).
Other than the mine, and the town that services it, there is little to endear the town of Hotazel to visitors. You might be happy to hear that there is a swimming pool, 3G access, and a luxury lodge, owned by the Oppenheimers.
Hotazel is not completely obscure. Its name features in the title of Obie Oberholzer's book: The Hotazel Years - 30 Years of Photographing Southern Africa.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Acacia Gastehuis
Acacia Gastehuis prides itself in providing accommodation in Kathu to the business traveller visiting our area that requires a relaxed and quiet ...
Kanyo Lodge
Situated in the mining town of Kathu, Kanyo Lodge is conveniently close to the N14 which is the main road to Upington. The Lodge offers guests ac...
Tarkuni at Tswalu
Tarkuni at Tswalu Kalahari Reserve is the ultimate safari experience. The surroundings are elegantly simple with a luxury swimming pool opening t...
Rheotessa Guest House
Rheotessa Guesthouse is located in Kathu and offers Kalahari self catering accommodation in a quiet and safe area. Shopping malls are within walk...
Cunningham Cottage
Cunningham Cottage is situated in Kuruman, Northern Cape. As Kuruman is known for its famous "Eye", a natural spring that delivers the town with ...
Kalahari Sands Safari Lodge
Kalahari Sands Safari Lodge offers game lodge accommodation in Kuruman. Nestled between Shepard's trees, Velvet raisin bushes and Acacias, privat...
Manaru Manor
Manaru Manor is a guest house situated in the heart of Kuruman. The accommodation is within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants and is wi...
Safari Travelodge
Safari Travelodge in Kuruman is the ideal stopover for the weary tourist en route to prime holiday destinations such as the Kgalagadi Transfronti...
Loch Maree Guest Farm
Loch Maree Guest Farm stands as a lone sentinel in the vast expanse of the Kalahari Desert. The camps are unfenced so nature and the veld are rig...
Noteworthy attractions
Tswalu Kalahari Reserve
Surrounding the rugged Koranneberg Mountains in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa, Tswalu Kalahari Reserve covers 1000km˛ (100 000 ha) o...
Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
Africa's first formally declared trans-border conservation area, the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, on the border of South Africa and Botswana, wa...
Witsand Nature Reserve
The Witsand (White Sands) Nature Reserve is a 2 500 hectares island of brilliant white sands surrounded by a sea of regular Red Kalahari sand. Al...
Sishen Golf Club
Of all the golf courses in South Africa, Sishen Golf Course is one of the most remote. Situated on the outskirts of the town of Kathu in the Nort...
Orange River Wine Route
In a part of South Africa that is, for all intents and purposes, practically desert, one does not expect to find a wine route. But the Orange Riv...
Riemvasmaak Community Conservancy
North west of the town of Kakamas and bordering the Augrabies National Park is the Riemvasmaak Community Conservancy - 75 00 hectares of land bet...
Kalahari Meerkat Project
The Kalahari Meerkat Project is based in the Kuruman River Reserve, just south of the border of Botswana. There is infinite beauty in this semi-a...
The Eye of Kuruman
The Eye was discovered in 1801, when an expedition called Truter Somerville was being conducted. It was only a little while later that a mission ...
Khomani Cultural Landscape
The area in the southern Kalahari, bordered in the east by Botswana and the west by Namibia, is where you will find a small group of the Khomani ...
Find accommodation in Hotazel
FIND / South Africa Accommodation / Northern Cape Accommodation / Kalahari Accommodation / Hotazel Accommodation