25 kilometres (16 mi) from Ladysmith is one of South Africa’s popular wildlife sanctuaries, Spioenkop Nature Reserve.

This 60 square kilometres (23 sq mi) reserve is home to animals such as the rhino, giraffe and zebra.

The sporting activities that Spioenkop offers include hiking, horse riding, angling, yachting, water-skiing and power boating.

Fifteen councillors are elected by first-past-the-post voting in fifteen wards, while the remaining fourteen are chosen from party lists so that the total number of party representatives is proportional to the number of votes received.

In the 1 November 2021 the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) won a plurality of nine seats on the council.