A new stadium, that will host one of the World Cup semifinal matches in 2010, was unveiled in Durban on Thursday. Named after King Shaka’s father, the King Senzangakhona Stadium will cost R1,6-billion to build and will seat a crowd of up to 80 000 soccer fans.
The stadium will be built next to the existing Absa Stadium, home of the Sharks rugby team.
Walter Gilbert Road, which runs between the two stadiums, will be converted into a pedestrian walkway.
The stadium will boast a 30-storey arch stretching across its entire length and will have underground parking for about 10 000 cars. The stadium, which is expected to be completed by December 2008, will also have an athletics track.
At the unveiling, KwaZulu-Natal premier S’bu Ndebele said: ”Nowhere in the province is there a structure worth R1,6-billion. There is much that needs to be done.”
eThekwini mayor Obed Mlaba said: ”Durban today signals that we are ready, willing, geared up and getting kitted out for 2010.”
More technical details about the stadium were not released. Details about how the stadium’s construction would be financed were also not made known, but it is believed the eThekwini Municipality is in negotiations with the provincial and national governments.
eThekwini municipal manager Mike Sutcliffe said the winning Ibhola Lethu consortium had a strong black empowerment contingent as well as a German connection.
Details of the tender process or consortia were not immediately available. Six consortiums were short-listed in April and made their final submissions on May 29. – Sapa