In order to improve the transport infrastructure in and around Durban for the 2010 Soccer Finals, the South African Government together with the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA), have decided to construct a new international airport for the city.   The new King Shaka International Airport will be situated at La Mercy, approximately 30km north of Durban.  As soon as King Shaka International Airport is fully operational, the old Durban International Airport will be decommissioned; this is due to take place by the first quarter of 2010. 

The existing Durban International Airport is currently the smallest of South Africa’s three international airports.  Studies have indicated that the existing Durban International Airport terminal is too small to handle the growing tourist and commercial trade through Durban.  Passenger growth at Durban International Airport has doubled since 2005 from two million to four million passengers a year.  With the 2010 Soccer Finals looming large, important decisions had to be made; hence the construction of King Shaka International Airport.

The King Shaka International Airport was named after the famous Zulu warrior king.  This is because Durban, South Africa’s third largest city, is located in the heart of the Zulu lands.

The King Shaka International Airport will integrate both passengers and freight. This will subsequently eliminate any operational and logistic constraints experienced at the old Durban International Airport. 

The passenger terminal at the King Shaka International Airport will have around 18 passenger aircraft stands and a size of 19,500m², which will cater for both domestic and international travel (six million a year).  The initial capacity of King Shaka International Airport will allow for 7.5 million passengers on an annual basis with opportunities for future expansion, should it be required.

The runway of the King Shaka International Airport will be 3,7km long in order to accommodate the latest New-Generation Large Aircraft (NGLA) which includes the A380 Airbus, with expansion options.  The passenger terminal at King Shaka International Airport will have greatly expanded retail concession opportunities.

The King Shaka International Airport will also boast facilities for police, military, VIP, general aviation and aircraft maintenance operations.

This article forms part of The Ultimate South African Tourist Guide White Paper.  It is an essential guide to any tourist who has the opportunity to explore South Africa, containing all the information you could possibly need to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one.  Featuring the best restaurants, accommodation, spots to shop, attractions and much more, all listed according to the specific region in question, this guide will be the ultimate in assisting your travels.  It is available to those members of the public who are interested in purchasing a piece of land in South Africa, and subsequently becoming a shareholder of land in South Africa. Visit http://www.ageofafrica.co.za to find out more about this project.

Durban’s newest stadium, the Moses Mabhida Stadium, is a state-of-the-art, world-class stadium specifically built for the 2010 Soccer Finals.  However, it can also be used as a multi-purpose sports venue after the 2010 Soccer Finals, while it will also be ideal for hosting recreational and cultural events. 

The Moses Mabhida Stadium takes its unique design from the South African flag, with the grand arch representing the unity of this sport-loving nation.  The two legs of the arch on the southern side of the stadium, come together to form a single footing on the northern side symbolizing the new unity of a country once-divided.  The Moses Mabhida Stadium boasts a cable car which ascends to a viewing platform at the top of the 350m arch, 106m above the pitch.  Visitors and spectators are thus able to experience panoramic views of both the city and nearby shoreline. 

Quick Facts surrounding the Moses Mabhida Stadium  

• The Moses Mabhida Stadium is named after Moses Mabhida, a former General Secretary of the SACP (South African Communist Party);
• The Moses Mabhida Stadium will have the capacity to hold 70 000 spectators during the 2010 Soccer Finals and 54 000 in legacy mode thereafter;
• The roof of the Moses Mabhida Stadium, consisting of Teflon coated glass fibre membranes, 46 000 square metres in total, are attached to the arch by 95mm diameter steel cables.  Around the perimeter of the stadium structure is an 880m long steel compression ring that maintains the structure of the roof; and
• A new Kings Park Railway Station is being developed adjacent to the Moses Mabhida Stadium, allowing spectators direct access to the stadium precinct.

During the 2010 Soccer Finals, Moses Mabhida Stadium will host five first round matches, a second round match and a semi-final.

Games scheduled for Moses Mabhida Stadium:

13 June 2010
Match: Team D1 – Team D2
Time: 16:00

16 June 2010
Match: Team H1 – Team H2
Time: 16:00

19 June 2010
Match: Team E1 – Team E3
Time: 16:00

22 June 2010
Match: Team B2 – Team B3
Time: 20:30

25 June 2010
Match: Team G4 – Team G1
Time: 16:00

28 June 2010 – Preliminary Round
Matches: Team 1E – Team 2F
Time: 16:00
Determined by results of group stages

7 July 2010 – Semi Final
Matches: Team B – Team D
Time: 20:30
Determined by results of group stages

This article forms part of The Ultimate South African Tourist Guide White Paper.  It is an essential guide to any tourist who has the opportunity to explore South Africa, containing all the information you could possibly need to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one.  Featuring the best restaurants, accommodation, spots to shop, attractions and much more, all listed according to the specific region in question, this guide will be the ultimate in assisting your travels.  It is available to those members of the public who are interested in purchasing a piece of land in South Africa, and subsequently becoming a shareholder of land in South Africa. Visit http://www.ageofafrica.co.za to find out more about this project.

The region of KwaZulu-Natal has been inhabited since the Stone Age.  Rock art relics were found in caves throughout the Drakensberg mountain range, where it is believed the Khoi-San people lived as hunter-gatherers for thousands of years.  Vasco de Gama, the Portuguese explorer, landed along this coast in 1497 while discovering the passage from Europe to India.  He named the area Natal.  Trade slowly developed along the coast and marooned mariners built temporary shelters around present-day Durban.       

The Birth of Durban

Durban as a city was established around 1824 when British Lieutenant FG Farewell and a party of 25 men arrived from the Cape colony and subsequently established themselves on the northern shore of the Bay of Natal.  After a meeting in 1835, the white residents of this region decided to build a town which was called D’Urban, named after Sir Benjamin D’Urban, governor of the Cape at the time.  1838 saw whites of continental descent trekking from the Cape colony to escape British rule.  They established the Republic of Natalia, with Pietermaritzburg as the capital.  However, fierce conflict with the local Zulu tribe led to the well-known “Battle of Blood River”; this conflict even spilled over to Durban which caused the city to be evacuated.  Due to military pressure, the Afrikaners had to accept British annexation in 1844.  As a result of this, a lot of Afrikaners left Durban, instead opting to head north where they established Transvaal and the Orange Free State.  A British governor was appointed in Durban while settlers flooded to the area in large numbers.  In 1854, the municipality of Durban was set up.

This article forms part of The Ultimate South African Tourist Guide White Paper.  It is an essential guide to any tourist who has the opportunity to explore South Africa, containing all the information you could possibly need to ensure your stay is an enjoyable one.  Featuring the best restaurants, accommodation, spots to shop, attractions and much more, all listed according to the specific region in question, this guide will be the ultimate in assisting your travels.  It is available to those members of the public who are interested in purchasing a piece of land in South Africa, and subsequently becoming a shareholder of land in South Africa. Visit http://www.ageofafrica.co.za to find out more about this project.