Britstown should not be confused with Brits, North West.
| Britstown | |
| Pushpin Map: | South Africa Northern Cape#South Africa |
| Coordinates: | -30.5833°N 53°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | South Africa |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Northern Cape |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Pixley ka Seme |
| Subdivision Type3: | Municipality |
| Subdivision Name3: | Emthanjeni |
| Subdivision Type4: | Main Place |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Leader Title: | Councillor |
| Area Footnotes: | [1] |
| Area Total Km2: | 62.6 |
| Population Total: | 5145 |
| Population As Of: | 2011 |
| Population Density Km2: | auto |
| Demographics Type1: | Racial makeup (2011) |
| Demographics1 Title1: | Black African |
| Demographics1 Info1: | 26.7% |
| Demographics1 Title2: | Coloured |
| Demographics1 Info2: | 68.4% |
| Demographics1 Title3: | Indian/Asian |
| Demographics1 Info3: | 0.4% |
| Demographics1 Title4: | White |
| Demographics1 Info4: | 4.0% |
| Demographics1 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics1 Info5: | 0.5% |
| Demographics Type2: | First languages (2011) |
| Demographics2 Title1: | Afrikaans |
| Demographics2 Info1: | 80.9% |
| Demographics2 Title2: | Xhosa |
| Demographics2 Info2: | 13.8% |
| Demographics2 Title3: | Sotho |
| Demographics2 Info3: | 1.4% |
| Demographics2 Title4: | English |
| Demographics2 Info4: | 1.4% |
| Demographics2 Title5: | Other |
| Demographics2 Info5: | 2.5% |
| Timezone1: | SAST |
| Utc Offset1: | +2 |
| Postal Code Type: | Postal code (street) |
| Postal Code: | 8782 |
| Postal2 Code Type: | PO box |
| Postal2 Code: | 8782 |
| Area Code Type: | Area code |
| Area Code: | 053 |
Britstown is a small farming town situated in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, in the Pixley ka Seme District Municipality, Emthanjeni Local Municipality. The town is named after Hans Brits who settled here after he accompanied David Livingstone on a venture into the interior.
Britstown lies in the heart of the Central Karoo and is located exactly halfway between Cape Town (via Three Sisters) and Johannesburg (via Kimberley) on the N12 national route, and thus is about 700 km from both cities. The N10 national route crosses the N12 500m outside the town. De Aar is the closest big town and lies 50 km East from Britstown on the N10.
In 1877 a community centre and a church was built on a section of Brits's farm. A private irrigation scheme was started by the Smartt Syndicate in 1885 and liquidated in 1954. The concern built two dams, planted lucerne and wheat. They grazed karakul sheep and Clydesdale horses. In 1961, floods destroyed the Smartt Irrigation Board Dam and it was rebuilt by the government in 1964.
The railway line from De Aar to Upington and Namibia passes through the town.