Maseru

Maseru is the capital and largest city of Lesotho. It is also the capital of the Maseru District. The city is located on the Caledon River and lies directly on the Lesotho–South Africa border.

The city was established as a police camp and became the capital after Lesotho became a British protectorate in 1869. When Lesotho achieved independence in 1966, Maseru continued to serve as the capital. The name "Maseru" comes from the Sesotho language and means "red sandstones."

History

Maseru was founded by the British in 1869 as a small police camp. This was after the Free State–Basotho Wars ended and Basutoland became a British protectorate. The city is near the border with the Orange Free State, now part of South Africa.

For a time, Maseru was the main administrative center before control moved to the Cape Colony. Later, it became the capital again and stayed that way when Basutoland became the Kingdom of Lesotho in 1966. Since then, Maseru has grown quickly, expanding from a small area to cover much more land today.

Geography

Maseru is the capital city of Lesotho, close to the border with South Africa. The border is marked by the Mohokare River, also called the Caledon River. A bridge, Maseru Bridge, connects the two countries over this river. The nearest town in South Africa is Ladybrand. Maseru lies in a valley at the base of the Hlabeng-Sa-Likhama hills, part of the Maloti Mountains. The city is about 1,600 metres above sea level and covers around 138 square kilometres.

Maseru has a mild climate with warm, rainy summers and cool, dry winters. Summer temperatures from December to March average around 22 °C, while winter temperatures from June to September average about 9 °C. January is the warmest month, with temperatures between 15 and 33 °C. July is the coldest month, with temperatures ranging from -3 to 17 °C. Rainfall varies from just 3 mm in July to about 111 mm in January.

Demographics

The 2016 census counted 330,760 people living in Maseru. This is about one-seventh of all people in Lesotho and half of all people living in cities. Earlier counts showed the city's growth: there were 98,017 people in 1986 and 137,837 in 1996. This shows how quickly the city grew after Lesotho became independent.

Transport

A railway line was built in 1905 to connect Maseru with a town in South Africa. The railway crosses the Mohokare River but does not carry passengers.

Kingsway is an important road in Maseru. It was the first paved road in Lesotho. There are two main roads leaving Maseru, one going northeast and the other southeast. There is also an international airport nearby. The National University of Lesotho is located a short distance from Maseru.

Economy

Maseru's commerce is focused on two nearby areas around Kingsway. The western area has bigger office buildings, department stores, and banks. The eastern area mainly has smaller businesses, markets, and street vendors. These areas are the biggest places to find jobs in the city.

Maseru's economy has grown fast, especially with help from visitors and money from other countries, since Lesotho became independent from Britain. Growth was stopped by political unrest in 1998, which caused big damage to the economy. Since then, the city has been trying to get better.

Industry in Maseru is split into two parts. The part north of the business areas along Moshoeshoe Road has flour mills and other large companies. The southern industrial area at Thetsane district mainly has textile and footwear companies.

Until 2004, Maseru had a growing textile industry with help from Chinese manufacturing. After the Multi Fibre Arrangement ended, the textile industry in Lesotho got smaller. The city's products once included candles, carpets, and mohair goods, but these are now less important than products from South Africa.

Places of worship

Most places where people gather to pray in Maseru are Christian churches and temples. These include churches from groups such as the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa, Zion Christian Church, Anglican Church of Southern Africa, and the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Maseru. There are also mosques where Muslim people meet for prayer.

Architecture

Most old houses made from mud and grass roofs, called rondavels, have been replaced with modern buildings. These new buildings still have a touch of the old style.

New buildings have been built in the center of the city. One big building now holds shops and offices, and another one finished in late 2007 is for the Ministry of Health.

Buildings that were destroyed during a political event in 1998 have been rebuilt. There is a sports center called the New Lehakoe National sports centre. It has tennis courts, swimming pools, places to meet, bars, and gyms. In November 2009, Pioneer Mall opened. It brought a shopping place like those in South Africa to Maseru, with many stores and restaurants. This mall helped bring more modern buildings to the city, such as Maseru mall and City Square centre.

Some older buildings from the time when Europeans first came to the area can still be seen in the center of the city. These include the Cathedral of Our Lady of Victories and the Anglican St. John's Church. Other important places are the Royal Palace, the Parliament building, and the State House.

Sports

The main stadium in Lesotho, called Setsoto Stadium, is in Maseru. It is used for football games and can hold many people. The Lesotho national football team plays there.

Many football teams in Lesotho's top league are based in Maseru. Some of the best teams are Matlama FC and the team from the Royal Lesotho Defence Force.

Twin towns – sister cities

Maseru has special connections with two cities around the world. These are called sister cities. They are:

• Austin, United States
• Ceuta, Spain