Welcome to Ladysmith in the Zulu Kingdom of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa!
$7.81 | £15.53 | €12.41 | | Time: 3:21 |  |
zoom Lady Juana Smith as a young woman - as beautiful as the town named after her |
Resting in the foothills of the mighty Drakensberg on the quiet open flood plains of the tempestuous Klip River lies Ladysmith and its small neigbouring towns of Colenso & Van Reenen. In the past century and a half, these places have witnessed various struggles and are surrounded by the mysteries and ghosts of times gone by. Screams of man and beast – gunfire and clanking metal invaded the tranquility - setting the course for the birth of a new South Africa. Ladysmith & Colenso are historic and cultural gems, offering unique, different and refreshing experiences. Ladysmith and Colenso's claim to fame has always been a rich historic heritage with literally hundreds of historical sites.
A vibrant and friendly town, Ladysmith, is the 'capital' of the Uthukela District and home of world famous superstars, Ladysmith Black Mambazo. A visit to our area is not complete without a stopover at the Siege Museum and Cultural Centre in Ladysmith, which houses stunning exhibitions on Ladysmith Black Mambazo and the Drakensberg Boys' Choir.
A must see in Colenso is the R E Stevenson Museum, St
Henry’s Catholic Church and several Military
Cemeteries
close by as well as the site where the British Army
suffered a humiliating defeat when they lost 10 of their
12
guns to the Boer forces during the Battle of Colenso. The
spot where Churchill was captured is only a short distance
from Colenso.
The village of Van Reenen is probably famous for its
treacherous pass and has several charming attractions such
as the Little Church and the Green Lantern Inn.
The Legend of Ladysmith - An introduction
In 1849 the town was a “well adapted village” and on 20 June 1850 it was officially proclaimed a township. It was named after the Spanish wife of Sir Harry Smith , Lady Juana Maria de los Dolores de Leon. The railway was established in 1886 making Ladysmith an important stopover between the Witwatersrand and Durban harbour. October 1899 marked the beginning of the Anglo Boer War. Ladysmith was to be the key point in the struggle for Natal. For 118 days Boer forces besieged the town. The siege plunged Ladysmith into newspaper headlines worldwide. General George White VC was in command of the British forces in Ladysmith. Water supplies and communication lines were cut, health conditions deteriorated rapidly causing many deaths, mainly as a result of enteric fever and other diseases.
The post war period saw Ladysmith growing steadily. Farmers had to start all over. The road to success was slow as the town and area was struck with floods and draught. The worst snowstorm ever struck Ladysmith in 1924 with the main street covered in half a metre of snow. By the late 1920's the town was providing mostly for the needs of its farming community. During the Great Depression of the 30's people flocked to the town to make a living. In the mid 1950's the railways again took the lead and the town prospered due to the large railway staff which provided a constant spending power.
The effects of Apartheid through the Group Areas Act, hit the town hard in the 1960’s as Indian businessmen were forced out of the central business area. Shops remained empty for years to come. Since the early 1980’s the town boomed with industrial investment at Ezaheni. The first democratic Local Government came into place during 1995, combining the towns of Ladysmith, Steadville and Ezakheni. The year 2000 saw new municipal demarcations which increased Ladysmith’s district. It stretches from Van Reenen in the north to Colenso in the south. The N3 forms the western boundary and Fort Mistake the eastern boundary. Ladysmith is a friendly, peaceful town, and being the largest in the area, it serves as major shopping centre for the surrounding smaller towns such as Colenso, Bergville and Winterton.
Colenso - A brief history
In 1855 the town was named after Bishop John William Colenso. Prior to this the town was known as the Great Tugela Drift as it was a stopover point for the flourishing transport wagon trail between Durban, Johannesburg and the Free State. By 1908 the Colenso Directory proudly displayed 42 names and was proclaimed a township in 1926. It received Borough status in 1958 after which the first Mayor and Town Council were elected. Today the little town retains its country atmosphere with approximate 6000 residents. It is almost unimaginable that the restful town of Colenso was once the scene of a battle which was one of the lowest points of the British Army. On 15 December 1899, the Battle of Colenso was fought, the first of 5 battles to relieve the besieged Ladysmith. A series of smaller battles, collectively known as the Battle of Tugela Heights, were fought a short distance from Colenso towards Ladysmith. Here General Buller led his troops through numerous relief efforts. The battlefields can be seen on the Ezakheni/Newcastle road. They include Hart&'s Hill, Wynne&'s Hill and Pieters's Hill. Up until the Second World War the Battle of Tugela Heights was possibly the biggest battle ever fought by the British Army and until the Falklands War it is said to have been the biggest battle fought in the Southern Hemisphere!
zoom The Siege of Ladysmith made world headlines. |
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