A Historical Experience in Bethal
Upon visiting the Cosmos area, travellers should definitely visit the small town of Bethal for a historic and cultural experience
The Nomoya Masilela Museum
Bethal boasts of the beautiful Nomoya Masilela Museum, previously known as the Bethal Museum. This museum, situated in the old magistrate’s office, was restored to its original 1910 state in the year 2010. The museum faces historical statues of Sibande, who was shot during a riot, as well as Simelane, who was killed by police forces after she was kidnapped.
The origins of the museums name is from a student from Mzinoni High in the mid-1980, who was 
killed by gunshot during a student protest in the rural township. The museum has been declared a national monument due to this.
The museum houses a 24 part exhibition of which the Kork Pharmacy (in the year 1890) and the Bethal Commando (from the years 1899 to 1902) are the highlights.
During the unveiling of the newly restored museum Mr Sanjay Singh of the Provincial Department, had a few words to say…
“This museum is more than a hundred years old, which makes it a National Heritage site”
A number of different sections are covered by the museum, among others, the Bethal District’s early history and the Lion of the East Musical.
“The museum originated back in the time of the Anglo Boer War & through reconciliation & transformation, the department felt the need to include the history of other cultures in order to reach a balance.”
- Opening Times: 09:00 – 14:30 (Mondays to Fridays)
- Entrance Fees: Free (Donations Needed)
- Contact Details: 017 624 3021
- Location: Chris Hani Street, Bethal
Latitude: -25.70455 Longitude: 28.34224
Other Attractions
Close to the museum the memorial square can be visited to witness the graves of Boer soldiers, who died in a nearby battle.
Bethal also offers tours to its gold and coal mines, of which 20 are coal mines and 3 are gold mines.
The Rusticana Holstein Dairy Farm, where 26 cows are milked within 6 minutes, can also be visited within Bethal. Here homemade goods are grown and available for tasting.
This lovely small town offers friendly faces and a colourful past, we invite all visitors to come see our cultural heritage!
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