Mafeteng
Encyclopedia
Mafeteng is a city in Lesotho
, and the Camptown (capital city) of the district of Mafeteng
. It is located about 76 kilometres south of the country's capital, Maseru
and has a population of approximately 61,000. The South African border town to Mafeteng is Wepener
.
The town is said to be named after an early visitor, Emile Roland, who was nicknamed "Lefeta," literally meaning "traveller" or "passer-by." Mafeteng translates to English as "The place of the passers-by."
During the Gun War
of 1880/81 a great deal of fighting took place near Mafeteng. The cemetery, located near Mafeteng's Bantu Stadium, contains an obelisk
in memory of members of the Cape forces who fell in action in the area.
One of the sights in Mafeteng remains the Diphiring Mill, a fully working roller mill established outside the town by Mr. William S. Scott in 1912 and currently operated by the Osborne Family, millers by trade. The whole mill is run off a single engine by an intricate pulley system. Basotho people use the mill to process maize, wheat, millet and other grains.
Mafeteng has several industrial developments including a Gap/Old Navy clothing factory and the Lesotho Pharmaceutical Company (LPC), which also exports to several countries in the region. Mafeteng has two hotels, the Golden Hotel
located on the road to Maseru and the Mafeteng Hotel located on Hospital Road. The hotels are the center of the town's limited nightlife: each has a public and a private bar.
Mafeteng has little tourism although travelers occasionally stop at the Buy N Take en route to the Van Rooyen's Gate border crossing at Wepener
or Malealea Lodge, a tourist destination in Mafeteng District.
The Famo
musician Mosotho Chakela
was born in Mafeteng in 1963.
Mafeteng is home to Bantu Stadium. In the past it has hosted district track and field, volleyball
, netball
and soccer tournaments. The winners proceed to national tournaments in Maseru to represent the district. In 2004, the St. Thomas High School soccer squad advanced out of the tournament in Bantu Stadium and captured the national title. Following the 2004 events, however, Bantu Stadium had to be closed due to renovation of the fences which surround the field and viewing areas.
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
, and the Camptown (capital city) of the district of Mafeteng
Mafeteng District
Mafeteng is a district of Lesotho. It has an area of 2,119 km² and a population in 2006 of approximately 193,682. Mafeteng is the capital or camptown, and only town in the district.-Geography:...
. It is located about 76 kilometres south of the country's capital, Maseru
Maseru
Maseru is the capital of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. Located on the Caledon River, bordering South Africa, Maseru is Lesotho's only sizable city, with a population of approximately 227,880 . The city was established as a police camp and assigned as the capital after the...
and has a population of approximately 61,000. The South African border town to Mafeteng is Wepener
Wepener
Wepener is a village in the Free State, South Africa, located on the border with Lesotho. The town is named after Louw Wepener, the leader of the Boers in their war with the Basotho chief Moshoeshoe I in 1865. It was founded in 1867 on the banks of Jammersbergspruit, a tributary of the Caledon...
.
The town is said to be named after an early visitor, Emile Roland, who was nicknamed "Lefeta," literally meaning "traveller" or "passer-by." Mafeteng translates to English as "The place of the passers-by."
During the Gun War
Gun War
The Gun War also known as the Basuto War was an 1880-1881 conflict in the British territory of Basutoland in Southern Africa, fought between Cape Colony forces and rebellious Basotho chiefs over tribal rights...
of 1880/81 a great deal of fighting took place near Mafeteng. The cemetery, located near Mafeteng's Bantu Stadium, contains an obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
in memory of members of the Cape forces who fell in action in the area.
Mafeteng has several industrial developments including a Gap/Old Navy clothing factory and the Lesotho Pharmaceutical Company (LPC), which also exports to several countries in the region. Mafeteng has two hotels, the Golden Hotel
Golden Hotel
The Golden Hotel is one of two hotels in the city of Mafeteng, Lesotho, the other hotel being the Mafeteng Hotel . The Golden Hotel is one of the few places outside Maseru where pizza is available. The hotel earns most of its revenue from sales at the Public Bar as well as by hosting workshops. As...
located on the road to Maseru and the Mafeteng Hotel located on Hospital Road. The hotels are the center of the town's limited nightlife: each has a public and a private bar.
Mafeteng has little tourism although travelers occasionally stop at the Buy N Take en route to the Van Rooyen's Gate border crossing at Wepener
Wepener
Wepener is a village in the Free State, South Africa, located on the border with Lesotho. The town is named after Louw Wepener, the leader of the Boers in their war with the Basotho chief Moshoeshoe I in 1865. It was founded in 1867 on the banks of Jammersbergspruit, a tributary of the Caledon...
or Malealea Lodge, a tourist destination in Mafeteng District.
The Famo
Famo
Famo is a type of music from Lesotho in Africa consisting of singing accompanied by the accordion, a drum and occasionally a bass. It originated in the drinking dens of migrant workers from Lesotho trying to relax after working in the mines in the 1920s but is now a popular form of music for...
musician Mosotho Chakela
Mosotho chakela
Mokete Shadrack Chakela, more commonly known as Mosotho Chakelaor just Chakela, was born 1963 in Mafeteng, Lesotho in Southern Africa. He is a cultural music singer in a popular Lesotho musical tradition called famo.-Music:...
was born in Mafeteng in 1963.
Mafeteng is home to Bantu Stadium. In the past it has hosted district track and field, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, netball
Netball
Netball is a ball sport played between two teams of seven players. Its development, derived from early versions of basketball, began in England in the 1890s. By 1960 international playing rules had been standardised for the game, and the International Federation of Netball and Women's Basketball ...
and soccer tournaments. The winners proceed to national tournaments in Maseru to represent the district. In 2004, the St. Thomas High School soccer squad advanced out of the tournament in Bantu Stadium and captured the national title. Following the 2004 events, however, Bantu Stadium had to be closed due to renovation of the fences which surround the field and viewing areas.