Ladysmith Activities
The Spioenkop Dam Nature Reserve is 35 km from Ladysmith. There are white rhino, giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, a wide variety of antelope and bird life is prolific. The dam at the foot of the rugged Spioenkop Mountain was the site of one of the most bloody battles of the Anglo-Boer War. There are several picnic sites along the shore of the dam and the Discovery Trail which has a choice of 3 or 5 km loops, winds around the dam offering a safe walking environment.
The town itself offers some cultural attractions such as sites of religious and cultural significance: The All Saints Church, Central Soofie Mosque, Ladysmith Siege Museum, Cultural Centre, a statue of Ghandi and town hall. More active pursuits include horse-riding, fishing and battlefield tours.
A Good Halfway Stop
Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal is the commercial centre for a large farming district and serves as a major shopping centre for towns such as Colenso, Glencoe, Bergville and Dundee. Mixed agriculture such as cattle, maize and vegetable farming is practised in the area. As Ladysmith is the economic hub of the municipality, the banking sector is strong and it boasts with a diverse manufacturing base offering several industrial areas, the largest being the Ithala Industrial Estate, a short distance from the CBD.
The town is also a good halfway stop between Johannesburg and Durban and serves as a gateway to attractions such as the Drakensberg Mountains, Spioenkop Nature Reserve and the historical battlefields. The town itself offers good accommodation and attractions such as walking tours, horse riding and battlefield tours.
Religious Buildings
Christianity has a strong presence in and around Ladysmith. It can be seen through the beautiful places of worship built around the time of the Anglo-Boer wars. One such structure includes the Anglican All Saints Church, built in 1902 from cut flagstones from a quarry in the area.
There is a thriving Islam community in the town, which is well known for the Soofie Mosque and its astounding architecture. Built in 1969, it is regarded as one of the finest mosques in the country. The origins of the structure date back to 1895 when Hazrath Soofie Saheb arrived in South Africa. He made it his mission to build as many as 12 mosques along the east coast of Durban. Ladysmith was also the home of a revered saint known as Hazrath Soofie Sayed Mahomed Abed Mia Osmani, who is buried in the Ladysmith Muslim Cemetery.
In 1902, Sanathan Dharma Sabha was inaugurated to promote Hinduism, social, cultural and educational activities in Ladysmith. The town is home to the oldest Hindu Temple in the country, which resulted from the amalgamation of Hindu Thirokootam (1910) with the Shree Ganaser Temple and hall erected in 1916. It was declared a national monument in 1990.