LADYSMITH, which is popular for being home to five-time Grammy award winning isicathamiya group Ladysmith Black Mambazo, has officially changed to its original Zulu name, uMnambithi.
But the legendary international isicathamiya group will not change its internationally acclaimed legendary name.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo was named after their hometown, Ladysmith in KZN midlands, 64 years ago. The town was named after Ladysmith 174 years ago.
Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Zizi Kodwa has approved the town name change in terms of Section 10 (2) of the South African Geographical Names Council Act (Act No 188 of 1998).
The name change was published in the Government Gazette, dated 22 March 2024.
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Ladysmith residents have been using both Ladysmith and uMnambithi for years. Ladysmith Black Mambazo also sang on many of their songs that they were from uMnambithi, even though Ladysmith was the official name in the Government Gazette.
In 2023, Ladysmith residents were asked to vote for the name for a town between Ladysmith and uMnambithi, and other names included late Ladysmith Black Mambazo founder late Joseph Shabalala and it seems many people voted for uMnambithi.
Umnambithi was named after Lady Smith who was a Spanish wife of Sir Harry Smith. He was a governor of the Cape Colony in 1850 and this year, Ladysmith name would have turned 174 years.
When Ladysmith residents were asked to vote for a new name for Ladysmith in December 2023, Ladysmith Black Mambazo told Daily Sun that they wouldn't change their legendary and internationally acclaimed name.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s manager, Xolani Majozi, said the group will not change its name to uMnambithi Black Mambazo.
“The group’s name has the biggest international history and it’s not something that can be easily changed.
“We heard that many people were proposing that Ladysmith be changed to Joseph Shabalala, but the group decided to not campaign for that to give it to the residents to decide which name they wanted,” he said.
