Battlefields and Farmers
When the town was established in 1850, Ladysmith became the ideal place for fortune hunters on their way to the gold mines and diamond mines of Kimberley.
The town gained international fame in the late 19th century when it was besieged by the Boers. It is therefore not surprising that most of the cultural attractions are related to the Anglo-Boer war, a rather tumultuous period of South African history. There is, however, one less aggressive monument, that of Mahatma Ghandi.
This little town is probably best known as the home of South Africa’s best musical export - the group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, whose musical achievements and exploits with singer Paul Simon have been well documented in the town museum.
Ladysmith today acts as a commercial centre for the large surrounding farming district. Important industries in the area include food processing, textiles and tyre production.
Some of the attractions near Ladysmith include the Drakensberg Mountains, Spioenkop Nature Reserve, the Malendeni Bird Sanctuary, Qedusizi Dam, hiking and walking trails and the historical battlefields telling tales of wars between Boer, British and Zulu warriors.