‘Africa’s playground’ will host sold-out MTN8 final this weekend
This weekend Durban will take the centre stage as it plays host to the MTN8 at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
The MTN8 has been held for 11 years, and this is the eighth year that Durban will host the event. The tickets sold out on Friday September 29, just 18 hours after they were made available to the public.
The MTN8 final will be played at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday October 7, at 6pm.
This game promises to be a legendary showdown between two of South Africa’s football giants, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has assured the public that they are working closely with the South African Police Service (SAPS) and several other safety and security role players to ensure a safe and secure event. As part of the stringent security measures around the stadium, people engaging in illegal behaviour such as ticket peddling will face immediate arrest, the PSL said in a statement. There will be no tickets sold at the stadium and the match will be broadcast live on the SuperSport PSL Channel (202) and SABC Sport.
At the World Tourism Day event on Friday September 29 eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda said this year’s theme is “tourism and green investment”, and that this year’s celebration aimed to highlight the need for everyone to try to invest in the Sustainable Development Goals.
“The city continues to be a venue of choice for major events which demonstrates that eThekwini remains Africa’s playground,” said Mr Kaunda.
“It is also a vote of confidence in the city and its world-class conference facilities and exceptional service. The announcement of Durban as the host of the now sold-out MTN8 final on October 7, at Moses Mabhida Stadium also demonstrates that eThekwini is open for business and remains a preferred venue for major sporting events.”
He added that the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) – through World Tourism Day - annually mobilises the global community to work together to address challenges affecting the tourism sector. The municipality used the celebration to promote local green tourism and green investments while reminding people of the important role tourism plays.
Mr Kaunda said the leadership of the municipality remained committed to ensuring that its initiatives contributed to the city’s strategic goals of empowering rural and township entrepreneurs in the tourism sector.
“In order for us to reach the full potential in this area, we must ensure that all eThekwini residents have an equal opportunity to become active players in the mainstream economy.
“It is only by implementing deliberate and targeted investments in rural and township tourism products that we can achieve meaningful radical socio-economic development in the tourism sector,” he said.
“Local communities are the custodians of culture and are better placed to look after their immediate environment. We believe this is line with this year’s theme of building a tourism sector that promotes a sustainable future.”
Mr Kaunda said communities must be at the forefront of driving tourism evolution as they share and promote their cultural heritage with the world. The challenge for the municipality is to continue to find creative ways to profile the city’s hidden gems, he added.
