Located on the central mountain plateau of Lesotho, Mantšonyane is difficult to reach by ground transport.

In the official biography of Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who was the Bishop of Lesotho in the late 1970s, the difficulty of travel around the mountainous central region of Lesotho is illustrated by a detailed account of the Bishop's journey from his official residence in Maseru to St James's Hospital in Mantšonyane.

St James' Hospital has grown significantly and is now a major feature of the community.

[2] For many years resident doctors and matrons were provided through the Anglican Diocese of Lesotho and through USPG.

Sam Matekane, a businessman and politician who has served as prime minister of Lesotho since 2022, was born in the town in 1958.