Welcome to Kasane

The name Kasane is derived from isani, a Chikuhane word for hardwood. Over the past century the township has grown grown from a small settlement to Chobe District’s biggest centre.

Since 1921 Kasane has served as the district’s administrative centre. An old mowana or baobab tree that was occasionally used as holding cell in the past still stands at Kasane Police Station.

The colonial presence at Kasane was expanded the 1920s in part because the Resident Magistrate, later District Commissioner based in Kasane was also responsible for the Eastern Caprivi until 1930 when the entire Caprivi was administratively reintegrated into South African administered South West Africa.

Along with nearby Kazungula, Kasane growth was further propelled from the 1930s by the presence of the Witwatersrand Native Labour Agency (WNLA) also commonly known as ‘Wenela’ (which changed its name to The Employment Bureau of Africa – TEBA in 1974). A Wenela barge, which used to be docked where the Chobe Marina Lodge is currently located, travelled weekly to Katima Molilo in the Caprivi Strip to collect labour recruits.

In the past visitors to Kasane were also attracted by the presence hot springs.

Since 1968 Kasane has bordered the Chobe national Park. To establish the park residents were moved from Serondela inside the park to present day Kasane, especially along the Kgaphamadi Township along President’s drive. Today Kasane’s Chobe riverbank is dominated by lodges and hotels which are serviced by Kasane International Airport.