Ladybrand is a small agricultural town in the Free State province of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...

, situated 18 km from

Maseru Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, Maseru lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border. Maseru had a population of 330,760 in the 2016 census. The ...

, the capital of

Lesotho Lesotho ( ), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a country landlocked country, landlocked as an Enclave and exclave, enclave in South Africa. It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the Thabana Ntlenyana, highest mountains in Sou ...

. Ladybrand is one of five towns that forms the

Mantsopa Local Municipality Mantsopa Local Municipality is a local municipality in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District of the Free State in South Africa. Origin of the name Basotho prophet ‘Mantsopa Makhetha was a cousin to King Moshoeshoe I, who banished her from the Kin ...

. Founded in 1867 following the

Basotho The Sotho () people, also known as the Basuto or Basotho (), are a Bantu nation native to southern Africa. They split into different ethnic groups over time, due to regional conflicts and colonialism, which resulted in the modern Basotho, who ...

Wars, it was named after Lady (Catharina) Brand, the wife of the president of the

Orange Free State The Orange Free State ( nl, Oranje Vrijstaat; af, Oranje-Vrystaat;) was an independent Boer sovereign republic under British suzerainty in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, which ceased to exist after it was defeat ...

Johannes Brand Sir Johannes Henricus Brand, (popularly known as Sir Jan Brand and sometimes as Sir John Henry Brand or Jan Henrick Brand; 6 December 1823 – 14 July 1888) was a South African lawyer and politician who served as the fourth state presiden ...

. The settlement of Ladybrand was created by Voortrekkers to give them control over the territories conquered and captured after the above-mentioned Basotho war. In 1900, during the

Second Anglo-Boer War The Second Boer War ( af, Tweede Vryheidsoorlog, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, the Anglo–Boer War, or the South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer Republics (the South ...

, Ladybrand came under the control of the British.

Notable residents

Kobie Coetsee Hendrik Jacobus Coetsee (19 April 1931 – 29 July 2000), known as Kobie Coetsee, was a South African lawyer, National Party politician and administrator as well as a negotiator during the country's transition to universal democracy. Biograph ...

- lawyer, National Party politician and administrator as well as a negotiator during the country's transition to democracy. *

Nico Diederichs Nicolaas Johannes "Nico" Diederichs (17 November 1903, Ladybrand – 21 August 1978) served as the third state president of South Africa from 1975 to 1978. Education and career After completing school, he attended Grey University College betwee ...

State President of South Africa The State President of the Republic of South Africa ( af, Staatspresident) was the head of state of South Africa from 1961 to 1994. The office was established when the country became a republic on 31 May 1961, albeit, outside the Commonweal ...

from 1975 to 1978. *

Lehlohonolo Majoro Lehlohonolo Majoro (born 19 August 1986 in Ladybrand) is a South African footballer who plays as a forward for Premier Soccer League side AmaZulu and the South African national team. Club career Kaizer Chiefs He made his unofficial debut in ...

- Cape Town City FC striker 1986–present *

Wagga Wagga Likoebe Leonard Likoebe (23 December 1953 – 7 November 2006) was a South African professional footballer who played as a winger for Zulu Royals, Wits University and Kaizer Chiefs. Kaizer Chiefs Born in Ladybrand, he played for Maseru United and late ...

Kaizer Chiefs Kaizer Chiefs Football Club (often known as Chiefs) are a South African professional football club based in Naturena, Johannesburg South, that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The team is nicknamed ''AmaKhosi'', which means "Lords" or "Chie ...

winger 1977-82 *

Pule Lechesa Pule Lechesa (born 1976) is a black South African essayist, literary critic, poet, and publisher. His published books include ''Four Free State Authors'' (2005), ''The Evolution of Free State Black Literature'' (2006), and, ''Omoseye Bolaji''...''o ...

- poet, literary critic, essayist *

Lefa Tsutsulupa Lefa Tsutsulupa (born 7 February 1980) is a South African former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder. He played internationally for South Africa. Career Born in Ladybrand, Lefa began playing professional football with Bloemfo ...

- Morokwa Swallows midfielder 1975-2013 * Jurie van Vuuren (born 1993) - rugby union player for the

Tel Aviv Heat The Tel Aviv Heat () is the first professional Israeli rugby union team. Based in Tel Aviv, the team competes annually in the Eastern Conference of the Rugby Europe Super Cup, alongside RC Batumi and The Black Lion of Georgia as well as the Roma ...

References

External links

* Populated places in the Mantsopa Local Municipality Populated places founded by Afrikaners Populated places established in 1868 1868 establishments in the Orange Free State {{FreeState-geo-stub