Towns

The towns of Mantsopa Local Municipality

Ladybrand

Ladybrand is situated on the R26 between Ficksburg and Hobhouse. It is also situated on the N8 linking Bloemfontein with Maseru in Lesotho. It was established in 1867 on land conquered from the Basotho and was named after the mother of the then President Brand of the Free State. The town of Ladybrand is the most progressive of all towns and is the most eastern node in the municipal area. Ladybrand municipal area includes Manyatseng, Mauersnek and the surrounding municipal commonages that covered an area of 4 682 ha in size.  The town accommodates 34% of the total population of Mantsopa.

Excelsior

Excelsior is located 40 km north of Tweespruit along the R709 and forms the northern boundary of Mantsopa. This small town, about 110 km north-east of Bloemfontein, owes its existence to travellers who became tired of travelling the long distance between Ladybrand and Winburg and subsequently decided in 1910 to erect their own “Halfway House. The first sandstone dam was built in 1924 and is today used to store water for cattle.The town is also directly linked to Thaba ‘Nchu and Winburg via untarred roads.It is about 1 298 ha in extent of which 243 ha was designed as an urban area, the rest were rented out to commercial farmers while some land was utilised for grazing purposes. It includes Mahlatswetsa and municipal commonages. Excelsior accommodates 10.6% of the total population of Mantsopa.

Hobhouse

Hobhouse is a smaller rural town that is located southwest of Ladybrand and east of the Leeu River along the Lesotho border.   Hobhouse is the most southern node in the municipal area.  It is about 2 089 ha in extent which includes Dipelaneng and municipal commonages. The town accommodates 4.6% of the total population of Mantsopa.Hobhouse, founded in 1912, was named after the Welsh heroine Emily Hobhouse who irrespective of heavy criticism from her own people, worked tirelessly to improve conditions in the concentration camps during the Anglo-Boer War. She was so dedicated to her cause that she cancelled her engagement and wedding to help Boer women establish a livelihood after the Anglo-Boer War. After her death her ashes were brought to South Africa and were interred at the foot of the “Vrouemonument” (National Women’s Monument) in Bloemfontein.

Tweespruit

Tweespruit is the most centrally located node along the N8 route between Bloemfontein and Ladybrand.  It is about 1 534 ha in extent and included Borwa, Dawiesville and municipal commonages. The town accommodates 10.2% of the total population of Mantsopa. Tweespruit serves as a service centre in support of the predominant agricultural surrounding area. This area is one of the highest sunflower production regions in the Free State and in response a large silo complex has been developed in the town. In combination with the station, with its capacity for mass transport of agricultural produce, it forms a positive asset for the town.

Thaba Patchoa

The town is located between Tweespruit and Hobhouse and is a small agricultural residence for approximately 1100 families.  It is about 3 864 ha in extent and consisted of the farms ThabaPatchoa 105, Segogoana’s Valley 665 and Sweet Home 667. Agricultural activities are the main focus of the community and include livestock and dry land cultivation of crops such as maize, sunflower and lucern.