Guided tour of Moses Mabhida stadium

The Moses Mabidha stadium where you can see the leg of the Y-section of the roof arch
 
The Moses Mabhida stadium is indeed an architectural and an engineering masterpiece.



View from the platform on top of the roof
 
We took the Skycar up the striking Y-shaped arch of the roof of the stadium. When you reach the top of the stadium roof, you can spend time soaking in 360 degree views of the Indian Ocean and the Durban city. 

 
After this experience we went on a guided tour of the Moses Mabhida stadium. The stadium is named after one of our struggle veterans who played a key role in setting the stage for our democracy. 

The Moses Mabhida stadium replaced the Kings stadium. The Kings stadium was demolished and the concrete was used to lay the foundation of the Moses Mabhida stadium. The stadium, that cost about R1,4 billion to build, took three years. 

The tour starts in the amphitheatre which is flanked by the Imbizo, a belt of shops, restaurants and other forms of cultural and recreational businesses.
 
The Moses Mabhida stadium viewed from the opposite end. The area below the steps is a playpark for children.


The roof of the stadium is an impressiveY-shaped arch that was inspired by the Y- shape of the South African flag. 

The material of the roof is a self-cleaning Teflon material sourced from Mexico, according to our guide. The rainwater washes the roof and then this water flows under the stadium where it is stored to water the grass pitch.  Recycling is part of the design. 

There is a Viewing  window area that is formed by the large section of the Y- roof arch. This area allows the sea breeze to enter the stadium, allowing for a free flow of fresh, cooling air. This is also the area that is used to expand the carrying capacity of the stadium from its standard capacity of 56,000 to about 85,000 when hosting huge, international events. 
 
The colourful seating creates the illusion of a full stadium


The football pitch contains natural grass that is watered daily and cut every third day. There is an artificial grass section that envelopes the natural grass pitch. Below this artificial grass is a tarred track that can be used by sporting events like the Top Gear car series. During such events, the synthetic grass is lifted. 

The blue, orange and green colours of the seating have been inspired by the ocean and symbolize the sand, sun and sea.
 
This is a beautiful sculpture of the King Protea



The decor inside the stadium is proudly South African, although international artists have been commissioned to design certain sculptures like the King Protea. 


The Moses Mabhida stadium tour takes you to see the VIP lounges, the changing rooms of the players, the players' tunnel and the gallery area.
 
exiting the players' tunnel

The guided tour was fantastic, but there is a rumble that all is not well with regard to the creator of the Moses Mabhida stadium design concept. A typical whodunnit...

Who is the designer of The Moses Mabhida Stadium - the appointed engineering consortium who won the tender or a gifted schoolboy from Hammarsdale? 

There is talk that a young man, Sibusiso Nene from Hammarsdale, had contributed to the design of the Moses Mabhida stadium. 

According to online news website, IOL, Sibusiso's parents are upset that Sibusiso was not acknowledged for his contribution to the design of the stadium. Sibusiso who is now deceased, crafted a wire model of the stadium with similar design features that form part of the overall design of the Moses Mabhida stadium. 

Sibusiso Nene won a gold award for his stadium design in 2004, when he was in Grade 11. According to the IOL article, the former mayor of eThekwini, Obed Mlaba, he saw Sibusiso's wire model of the Moses Mabhida stadium.  

I hope this is not a case of foul play like the Vodacom case where the rights of the creator of the Please Call Me  were only restored after a protracted ten year legal battle.

 







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