Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban

WOW look at these amazing photos of the Durban stadium - a short 20 min walk from Gibela Backpackers Hostel in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
http://blog.grantpitcher.com/

Capacity: 70,000.
Altitude: Zero meters.
High winter temperature: 25 degrees Celsius (78 degrees Fahrenheit) and 16 degrees C (62 degrees F) at night.
Population of city: 3,5 million.

Matches:
Germany vs Australia on June 13
Spain vs Switzerland on June 16
Netherlands vs Japan on June 19
Nigeria vs South Korea on June 22
Portugal vs Brazil on June 25
one second round match on June 28
one semifinal match on July 07

Inspired by the South African flag, this new 70,000-seat stadium features a 106-metre-high (348-foot) central arch whose two legs merge in a tribute to the unity of a once-divided country.

KWAZULU-NATAL WELCOMES INDABA 2010 DELEGATES

INDABA is South Africa’s flagship travel trade show and in 2009 it was attended by more than 12 000 visitors from all over the world.

Indaba 2010 is the 31st Indaba to be hosted and Durban is celebrating the 21st time it has hosted this event. This years it takes place from the 8th to the 11th of May 2010, 33 days before the 2010 FIFA World Cup kick-off. Local and international journalists will see this exhibition as a stepping stone to the biggest event to ever hit our shores.

The importance of this years Indaba is that it is the last big event before the official start of the FIFA World Cup, its is the last opportunity to leverage from the global awareness that have been created by this football spectacular.

With regard to 2010 and with the spotlight fully on the country and the province of KwaZulu-Natal, all the tourism players will reassure visitors that KZN offers tourism experiences that are competitive with that of any of the world leading destinations.

Members of the international tourism trade will be hosted to educational trips around the province where they will get to taste the best of KZN. Delegates will sample some of the finest KZN cuisine and the culture of the people of KwaZulu-Natal .

With the introduction of the Emirates flights in October 2009, many of the Indaba delegates will experience a direct flight into Durban. This will further serve as a market platform for the Dubai-Durban Route.

Gibela Backpackers Lodge is proud to say that we will be hosting INDABA delegates and exhibitors this year from afar afiels as Germany.

30 may

PMB to DBN = Comrades - - - Comrades + Sponsors = $ R - - - $ R = technology & turtles """ WATCH THIS SPACE """

Ocean liner, the RMS Queen Mary II has docked in the Durban Harbour

AA Awards

GIBELA BACKPACKERS LODGE is a FINALIST In the 2010 AA Travel Guides and American Express Accommodation Awards In the category: Backpackers Accommodation. http://www.aatravel.co.za/accommodation/gi3247_gibela_backpackers_lodge.html

YouTube - SouthAfricanTourism's Channel

YouTube - SouthAfricanTourism's Channel

Gibela Backpackers Lodge

Està a punto de descubrir un estilo contemporáneo de backpackers, diseñado para ofrecerle una estancia agradable en la ciudad más “cruci-cultural” de Sudáfrica.
Este lodge, tranquilo y con mucho estilo, es propiedad de un antiguo guía y experimentado viajero que tambien lo dirige.
Sus semejantes recibirán acertados consejos y recomendaciones de gran utilidad a la hora de viajar al igual que podrán disfrutar de un gran confort en una maravillosa y relajante atmósfera.

Nuestra situación:
Gibela Backpackers Lodge. Está perfectamente situado en la zona residencial y segura de Morningside. Desde aquí se puede acceder perfectamente andando a la zona de ocio de Durban: Florida Road, donde encontrarán variedad de restaurantes, pubs, cafeterías y bares (consulten nuestra lista de “what’s hot”). Además a sólo unos pasos de la entrada principal de Gibela, se situa una tienda de alimentación, una oficina de correos y un “auto-teller”.
También se puede ir caminando hasta los Jardines Botánicos, las playas Golden Mile, las oficinas de cambio y tiendas de las famosas marcas de ropa especializadas en surf-gear.
Estamos dentro del recorrido de la red de transportes urbanos que os pueden dejar cerca de museos, cines, mercado indio y Mezquita Jam en menos de 10 minutos en autobús desde el hostal.

Comodidades y limpieza: Lo que dicen nuestros invitados:
• si hay hostales en el cielo – serán como el GBl
• habitaciones, camas y duchas son lo máximo
• Definitivamente un peldaño por encima de todos los demás
• Una decoración llena de encanto y muy acogedora : limpieza absluta de todas las facilidades
• El mejor y el mejor dirigido de todos los hoteles en los que nos hemos alojado en Sudáfrica
• Gracias por el hospedaje tan relajante y tan cómodo en el mejor hostal de los que he estado
• No supone ningùn problema estar lejos de casa cuando estás hospedado en un lugar tan bonito

Apreciamos la importancia de tener comodidades limpias, nos aseguramos de que todo lo esté. En este hostal está prohibido fumar.

Las comodidades ofrecidas por Gibela incluyen:
• Sábanas, almohadas y nórdicos (toallas en habitaciones privadas) gratis
• Café y té gratis todo el día
• Desayuno gratis (cereales, yogur, pan y cosas para untar, té, café, zumo de frutas y frutas)
• Intercambio de libros – montones de libros y revistas gratis
• Mapas de Durban & KwaZulu Natal + consejos
• Depósito de equipaje gratis
• Uso de la cocina moderna, limpia y completamente equipada para cocinar usted mismo.
• Parking gratis para coche y bici
• Consulta libre de todas las guías de todo el mundo
• Habitaciones decoradas al estilo Zulú Zen luminosas y limpias
• Cuartos de baño modernos y limpios con agua caliente las 24 h
• Patio acogedor y cómodo al estilo Indio Bohemio
• Internet, P.C. con lectores de tarjetas de memoria y teléfonos públicos
• Secador y plancha – si lo solicitan

Gibela cuenta con 4 habitaciones de dos camas, 2 dormitorios de 4 camas y 2 dormitorios de 6 camas.
Hay 4 cuartos de baños en el hostal con 6 duchas y 5 W.C.
Nuestras habitaciones están aseadas y bien equipadas con camas cómodas, ventiladores en el techo y amplios espacios para las mochilas.

INFORMACIÓN
Sumérjase en la cultura, la historia y la naturaleza del país! Nosotros le proporcionamos INFORMACIÓN de todos los puntos de interés en Sudáfrica:
Qué ver y qué hacer
Dónde alojarse – reservas de alojamientos en Parques Nacionales
Cómo llegar a ellos
Reservas de billetes de autobuses, trenes y aviones
Excursiones de 1 o más días
Nuestro personal le dará los consejos necesarios para circular de la mejor manera por la ciudad – incluyendo visitas guiadas, museos, restaurantes y eventos puntuales.

Durban es un lugar especial. Nosotros en Gibela deseamos compartir la experiencia de nuestra herencia de mezcla de culturas y asegurarnos que su estancia en nuestro “Reino” sea una experiencia agradable y memorable.

Gibela in Europe

Been through Europe for a while and would highly recommend when staying in Florence to stay at Academy Hostel. Clean Friendly and very central.
Carcasson in south-west France has an excellent IYHF hostel as well as in downtown Nice.
All top class and well recommended by Gibela as they on a same level as the Gibela Experience.

Gibela Backpackers Lodge - Durban

Willkommen in Durban! Entdecken Sie die Stadt, berühmt in ganz Südafrika für ihren einzigartigen Mix verschiedener Kulturen, von einer modern ausgestatteten Backpacker-Unterkunft aus. Das Hostel mit seiner entspannten Atmosphäre ist ein komfortabler Platz zum Wohlfühlen, stylish dank authentisch-afrikanischer Dekoration und eine Fundgrube für Informationen. Sie wird von einem passionierten Reisenden und ehemaligem Tour-Guide geführt. Er gibt Travellern gerne Insider-Tipps und kann bei allen Fragen bezüglich der Reise weiter helfen. BOOK ON LINE AT - http://www.gibelabackpackers.co.za

Die Lage
Gibela Backpackers Lodge liegt mitten im sicheren Wohngebiet Morningside. Von Gibela aus sind es nur ein paar Minuten zu Fuß zu Durbans Ausgehmeile Florida Road – dort findet man Restaurants, Bars, Clubs und Cafés (Tipps für jeden Geschmack gibt es im Hostel). Nur ein paar Meter entfernt von der Lodge gibt es ein Lebensmittelgeschäft, ein Postamt und einen Geldautomaten. Gäste können von hier aus zu Fuß zum Botanischen Garten gehen und die Strände der „Golden Mile“ erkunden. Man kann hier einfach Geld wechseln und bei den Fabrikverkäufen berühmter Surfwear-Hersteller das ein oder andere Schnäppchen machen. Gibela ist außerdem optimal ans Busnetz der Stadt angebunden – von der Lodge aus sind es weniger als zehn Minuten mit dem Bus zu Museen und Kinos, zum Indischen Markt und der Juma-Moschee.

Ausstattung und Sauberkeit – was sagen die Gäste?
„Wenn es im Himmel Hostel gäbe, dann müssten sie so sein wie Gibela.“
„Die Zimmer, Betten und Duschen sind das Allerbeste.“
„Auf jeden Fall ein Stück besser als der Rest.“
„Charmantes Dekor und nirgendwo der kleinste Schmutzfleck.“
„Das schönste und am besten geführte Hostel in Südafrika.“
„Danke für den entspannten und komfortablen Aufenthalt im besten Schlafsaal, den ich kenne.“
„Wenn man hier wohnen kann ist es kein Problem, weit weg von Zuhause zu sein.“

Unser Ziel ist eindeutig: Wir stellen sicher, dass das ganze Hostel immer blitzsauber ist. Rauchen ist nirgendwo auf dem Hostelgelände gestattet.

Das bietet Gibela:
- Kostenlose Bettwäsche (Handtücher in Doppel- und Einzelzimmern)
- Kostenlos Kaffee und Tee – den ganzen Tag lang
- Kostenloses Frühstück (Cornflakes/Müsli, Joghurt, Brot und Marmeladen, Tee, Kaffee, Säfte und Früchte)
- Kostenloser Büchertausch – viele Bücher und Magazine
- Kostenloser Stadtplan für Durban und Landkarten für die Provinz KwaZulu-Natal – und
die passenden Tipps für ein gutes Programm
- Kostenlose Gepäckaufbewahrung
- Kostenloser Safe
- Kostenlose Benutzung der modern eingerichteten, sauberen Küche
- Kostenlose Parkplätze für Autos und Fahrräder
- Kostenlose Lektüre von Reiseführern aus der ganzen Welt
- Helle, saubere Zimmer, dekoriert im „Zulu Zen“-Stil
- Blitzsaubere Badezimmer mit Warmwasserversorgung rund um die Uhr
- Gemütlicher Innenhof mit indischer Dekoration
- Internet-Zugang, Computer mit Speicherkarten-Lesegeräten, öffentliches Telefon
- Fön und Bügeleisen auf Anfrage
- Keine Sperrstunde: Zugang zum Hostel wann immer man möchte

Gibela bietet vier Doppelzimmer, zwei Schlafsaal-Zimmer mit jeweils vier Betten und zwei Schlafsaal-Zimmer mit jeweils sechs Betten. Es gibt vier Badezimmer mit sechs Duschen und fünf Toiletten. Die Zimmer haben Charme und sind mit komfortablen Betten und Ventilatoren gut ausgestattet. Sie sind groß genug, um Gepäck bequem verstauen zu können.

Information
Erleben Sie die Kultur, Geschichte und Natur Südafrikas! Wir bieten Informationen und Tipps für jeden Ort des Landes:

- Was anschauen und was unternehmen?
- Wo übernachten? Wir buchen auch Unterkünfte in den Nationalparks
- Wie hinkommen?
- Reservierungen für Bus-, Zug- und Flugtickets
- Tagesausflüge und mehrtägige Exkursionen

Unsere Mitarbeiter kennen Durban genau. Sie geben ihr Wissen gerne weiter und haben viele Tipps parat, wie man sich in der Stadt am besten zurechtfindet, was man hier unternehmen kann, und wo es gutes Essen gibt.
http://www.gibelabackpackers.co.za

Soccer Stadium near completion

A 5 min drive or 20 min walk from Gibela Backpackers Lodge - Durban.

Standing on the newly laid pitch with its signature arch soaring overhead and the 56 000 permanent seats all in place, one can almost see the crowds taking their seats and the excitement mounting in Durban's dramatic new multi-purpose stadium.

It's just weeks to go now until the city's Moses Mabhida Stadium - which will seat 69 000 during the tournament and host seven FIFA World Cup™ matches, including a semi-final - is complete.

At the height of construction of the stadium, there were over 2 500 workers on site, but on a quiet Sunday morning only a handful of workers are left, erecting balustrades, putting the last touches to the venue offices and cleaning up walkways and access areas.

"We are just weeks away from a complete stadium now. Then it's over to FIFA and the Organising Committee to get it operationally ready for a World Cup, but the plan is to open it up to Durban citizens long before," says head of the eThekwini Municipality's Strategic Projects Unit and 2010 Programme, Julie May Ellingson.

Finalists in a local schools World Cup competition will be the lucky teams to be the first to step out onto the new turf to mark the stadium's opening in front of the city's residents on 28 November 2009.

This will be followed the day after with a match between two yet-to-be-announced Premier Soccer League (PSL) sides. A number of concerts and further PSL matches are planned from January to May next year to give the stadium the stress tests it needs to ensure it is operationally ready next June for football's greatest showpiece, the FIFA World Cup.

The focus now shifts to the precinct projects and ensuring fans, players and the media can easily access the stadium on match day.

Durbanites are renowned for really making the most of a sporting match day. When residents of the city attend a football, cricket or rugby match they get to the venue hours before, parking in adjacent fields and setting up braais (barbeques) alongside their cars for pre-and post-match festivities which often go into the morning's early hours.

To ensure this spirit is maintained, numerous park and ride and park and walk facilities are planned and some R250 million is being spent upgrading the beach promenade and extending the walkway from the beach all the way to the stadium.

A ‘People's Park' is also being developed adjacent to the stadium, which will be one of the hubs of spectator festivities during the tournament.

Fans will also be conveniently transported to the stadium by rail, with a new train station adjacent to the stadium currently under construction.

"For us as a city it was always very important that the stadium is financially viable after 2010. For this reason we have built a multi-functional stadium that can serve the needs of football, rugby and athletics. We have worked hard to ensure that the entire precinct becomes an area used by the residents of the city," explains Ellingson.

"The People's Park is an important legacy project for us. This park is a green space next to the stadium which includes two training fields, a running and cycling track, a children's playground and a tea garden. Residents and visitors can also ride a cable car to the top of the arch, or climb the 550 steps, for spectacular 365 degree views of the adjacent Indian Ocean and the city. For the adventure junkies, there will also be a bungee swing from the stadium's arch," Ellingson outlines.

The stadium will also feature 72,00 m² of retail space and a gym, which will also help ensure it is used for far more than only sporting events and becomes a constantly bustling, well-utilised asset of the city.

Direct Flights to Durban by Emirates

In celebration of their new frequency, Emirates will launch the Durban route with an introductory fare of just R4595.00 for passengers travelling to Dubai. This fare is valid from the route’s first flight on 1 October until 31 October 2009.

With the launch of the new route, travellers from KwaZulu-Natal will be able to experience Emirates’ renowned service and product offering, while the airline opens up the province to the world. Durban residents will now have convenient access to any part of the globe, directly from their home city through Emirates’ Dubai hub.

Members of Skywards — the airline's loyalty club — flying on Emirates from Durban in October will also earn double Skywards miles in Economy class and triple the amount of miles in Business and First class. The bonus miles are only earned on the Durban-Dubai-Durban legs of travel, but members can still obviously travel onwards to Emirates' dozens of destinations across the globe.

For more information on Emirates and the new route to Durban, visit http://www.emirates.com/za

The airport is linked to Gibela Backpackers by the Airport Bus Shuttle Service. Cost is R 100-00 p.p. and is a door to door service. Alternatively the 20 min taxi ride will cost you R220-00 from the airport to Gibela. Gibela is situated in Morningside a 6 min walk to trendy Florida Road.

Month of July guest feedback for Gibela Backpackers Lodge

Thank-you Gibela. Beautiful, tranquil place to relax for a few days.
- Christina USA

Gibela has been great, we have enjoyed our stay !!
- Claire & Nat UK

Thanks for the wonderful breakfast, great showers :-)
clean rooms & hostel and all the information on Durban !
All the best !
- Nicole HOLLAND

Thanks for all your info and the lovely GIBELA, beautiful gardens and clean rooms.
- Sarah ENGLAND

I had a great stay @ Gibela and would definately recommend this backpackers to all my friends !! Thanx for all the information you gave us about Durban & the doctors.
- Sara HOLLAND

Thanks for the warm welcome, all the help. Gibela Backpackers is nice, clean and also very calm. Everything to make the most enjoyable time in Durban !
Cheers, Judith FRANCE

Lovely environment - great beds and fab showers !
Very helpful & friendly staff !
- Erin KAMPALA

Durban Air Show

Show spokesperson Ray de Vries said the show would take place on July 11 and 12 and had attracted more than 100 aircraft of various shapes and sizes.
“Breaking the sound barrier is a major coup for the show since it is the first time in over 45 years that spectators and Durban residents will be treated to this supersonic act.
The sound barrier has not been broken at the Durban Airshow since 1964, when the Mirages were first delivered to South Africa.”

About 15km out to sea – at an altitude of about 20000ft – Warden will accelerate from Mach .97 to Mach 1.1 to break the sound barrier.
The sonic boom will sound like a double bang and will be heard as far away as Van Reenen’s Pass – 250km inland.
Breaking the sound barrier is a major crowd puller at airshows around the world and is bound to be one of the highlights come July 11 and 12.

The Durban Wings Club, hosts of the show, expect more than 100 aircraft to arrive in Durban over the next two weeks. Durban is the new title sponsor of the event.

More than 95 participants at the show are set to wow the more than 15000 spectators and 250000 more who will be watching from beaches, hotels, restaurants and homes – from Umhlanga to downtown Durban.

Gibela Backpackers Lodge, situated in Morningside, Durban, South Africa is a mere 12 min drive from the venue of the show.
Visit http://www.durbanairshow.co.za for more information.

Gibela Durban

SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM WELCOME AWARDS 2008 WINNER - BACKPACKING lat=-29.50'07 SOUTH lon=31.00'52 EAST

GIBELA - translated from Zulu means "hop on"

GIBELA Website - http://www.gibelabackpackers.co.za/GIBELA Photos - http://flickr.com/photos/gibelabackpackers/GIBELA Blog - http://durbanbackpackerhostel.blogspot.com/ZUNGEZA - http://www.visitkwazulunatal.co.za

Tel (+27) (0)31 303 6291 " . . . this place takes a lot of beating. It has tasteful ethnic décor throughout, shower heads the size of dinner plates, bathroom floors you could eat off, . . "LONELY PLANET 2006

SHARKS RUGBY 2009 Super 14 Fixtures

Planning to head over to the east coast of South Africa??Make sure you are in DURBAN on the following highlighte weekends to experience the BIGGEST Braai (BBQ) in the world held after SHARKS home games.Gibela Backpackers lodge offers accommodation a 7 min drive away from the ABSA Rugby Stadium. Book on-line http://www.gibelabackpackers.co.za

Durbn Tops

'Durban SA's most positive city'

January 28, 2009 Edition 1 The Mercury
Suren Naidoo
DURBAN has come out as the most optimistic city in South Africa in the latest MasterCard Worldwide Index of Consumer Confidence.
The influential survey - released last week - showed that the city had beat the other major South African urban centres of Johannesburg and Cape Town to top spot in consumer optimism stakes, with a score of 89.6. This was ahead of Johannesburg's score of 83.3 and the Mother City's "grim" score of 57.3.
Now in its fifth year, the biannual MasterCard Worldwide Index of Consumer Confidence surveyed 3 200 South African consumers. The survey is based on answers to questions relating to five key economic indicators, including employment, the economy, regular income, stock market and quality of life. It measures consumer confidence on prevailing expectations in the market for the next six months.
In terms of Durban, the report said the city's residents "remain extraordinarily upbeat in reporting an overall consumer confidence of 89.6".
Scores on all five individual indicators were up from both six months and a year ago - the only South African city where this has been the case. Noted chief economist at T-Sec, Mike Schüssler, said this was "incredible given the present economic climate (in the country)".
In comparison, the report said Cape Town residents had particularly grim expectations for the South African stock market for the next six months. According to Schussler, this was a primary factor in Cape Town's lowest consumer confidence score.
"The decline in Cape Town perhaps has a lot to do with the fall in the financial markets, as many big asset managers are based in the city. The area has also been hit by a decline in tourism - both domestic and international - which is obviously one of its core industries," Schüssler said.
"The Jo'burg consumer outlook, though still very high and up from six months ago, remains short of where it was a year ago . . . My impression is that people simply haven't taken notice yet of South Africa's weakening economic position," he added.
"With the continued fallout from the financial crisis in the world's major markets generating a vicious cycle of negative sentiment, it is good to see there may be some silver lining for us in Durban and South Africa," said acting chief executive of the Durban Investment Promotion Agency (DIPA), Russell Curtis, in response to the MasterCard surveys.
"As consumer confidence has a direct link to business confidence and - by logical extension, to the investments companies make in a city - it is very encouraging that Durbanites recognise our uniquely positive potential, even in these tough times. It is especially significant coming off the back of the recent recognition that Durban has built a good business platform and more sustainable way of life contained in MasterCard's global emerging cities study," he said.
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South Africans have shown encouraging signs in terms of optimism going forward in the latest MasterCard Worldwide Index of Consumer Confidence. This comes in the wake of another survey released just two months ago - the MasterCard Worldwide Centres of Commerce: Emerging Markets Index, which rated all three of South Africa's major hubs among the 65 most influential emerging market cities in the world. While Durban came in at 37, Cape Town and Johannesburg were ranked in 33rd and 11th spot respectively.
The consumer confidence survey revealed that South Africa was the second most optimistic country in the Middle East and Africa region; and came in third spot when the Asia Pacific region is included. South Africa scored 78.7, while Kuwait (at 96.6) came in as the most optimistic country.
"Following a year of slowing economic growth at home and in the face of an imminent global recession, South Africans remain optimistic about the immediate future of their national economy," the survey reported.
However, it noted that although the latest survey score represented an increase in consumer confidence from six months ago, it is five points below South Africa's score for the first half of 2008.
Jeni Webber, South Africa country manager at MasterCard Worldwide, said: "One gets the sense that South African consumers feel relatively optimistic about the next six months.
"Government leaders, bankers, and analysts have been saying that the SA economy will not see a major downturn, as will likely be the case in other markets. South Africans appear to share this optimism."
Curtis said: "South African cities must work harder now to improve and promote our business and investment positions further, to ensure new growth while other global cities are trapped by their national financial doldrums.
"Now appears to be a good time for global companies that thrive on consumer confidence, and looking for greater market access to be targeted by DIPA for introduction to cities like Durban."

WINNER OF THE 2008 SOUTH AFRICAN TOURISM WELCOME AWARDS BACKPACKING
GIBELA - translated from Zulu means "hop on"

DURBAN - Beaches

Durban is situated on the east coast of South Africa, besides the warm Indian Ocean. The city of Durban and it's surrounds offer many beaches which allows swimming all year round. . Because of the long beaches and the semi-tropical climate Durban draws many beach enthusiasts. Excellent conditions await surfers, kitesurfers and booggie-boarders. The Durban and surroundings beaches are lined with shark nets offering the necessry protection from the gentle giants of the oceans.
To the north of Durban is the Dolphin Coast with the following towns - Sheffield Beach, Salt Rock, Ballito, Port Zimbali, Umdloti Beach and Umhlanga Rocks
To the south lies the South Coast with Scottburgh, Umtentweni, Shelley Beach, Margate, Ramsgate and Southbroom.
Particularly well known are the so-called “Golden Mile” beaches in Durban - Country Club Beach (Kite-Surfing), Battery Beach (Sun Coast Casino), Bay of Plenty (Beach Cafe), North Beach (Joe Kool's and surfing) and Ushaka Beach (Ushaka Marine World).
Gibela Backpackers Lodge, Durban is a 25 min walk - 5 min drive from the beachfront.

KwaZulu-Natal and Gibela

It's amazing to see how many variations of the spelling of KwaZulu-Natal one find on the web.
My last count was 12 yes TWELVE.

Seeing that it's back to "school season" in South Africa - I think it might just be a good idea to kick start the year with a spelling lesson.

The correct spelling is

KwaZulu-Natal

Capital K small wa Capital Z small ulu (all one word) hyphen - Capital N small atal

KwaZulu-Natal

Hopefully you can set your records straight ifspelt incorrectly in your daily going abouts.Meaning of KwaZulu-NatalKwa - place ofZulu - people from heavenNatal - Christmas (the day the Portyguese set foo on land in the Bay of Durban)So a direct trnlation would be - The place of the People from Heaven on Christmas .Gibela is the Zulu word to - "Hop-On" - to ride, to convey, to move.

DURBAN - Save the Organ Campaign

The Durban City Hall organ’s revival would certainly enhance the performance spectrum of symphonic music played in our city’s prime concert venue. Its mute status stands as a massively visible blot on the cultural environment of our city. Talk of replacing it with an electronic substitute is way off the mark, and simply uninformed. One may as well ditch the superb Steinway concert grand piano heard each season, and replace it with an electronic keyboard. Originally-crafted acoustic instruments require constant respect and maintenance to yield their full potential. The results on an artistic level need no special pleading. In the light of the Durban City Hall currently undergoing restoration it seems perverse that its crown jewel remains an abandoned relic.The grand Durban organ was original installed in what is now the Post Office and moved to the much larger civic venue which still houses it today. bringing ‘Our Organ’ back to life. You can e-mail Gibela Backpackers Lodge - Durban on gibela@gibela.co.za expressing your concern, which we will lobby with the releant authorities.

2010 Soccer World Cup - Durban Dates

Provisional dates for the seven 2010 World Cup games set for Durban will impact on other traditional crowd-drawing events held in the city.
At this stage, these include the Comrades Marathon - which will be held on May 30 -
and the annual East Coast House & Garden Show, which has moved to the end of July.
"At the moment, the first game will be held on June 13, which is a Sunday. Thereafter there will be matches on June 17, 20, 22, 25 and 28. "The semifinal will take place on Wednesday July 7. Most of the games will be held at 4pm and the semifinal at 8.30 in the evening."
The official Fifa fan park being hosted at New Beach, the annual beach festival would also be hosted as normal. Mr Price Pro surfing competition spokesman Clynton Lund said competition dates were set by international surfing authorities. "We haven't got as far as 2010, we are still securing the 2009 event, but we don't believe the competition will be in conflict with the World Cup. There will be lots of football fans who, I am sure, will enjoy the surfing," he said. Gold Circle's David Furness said the Durban July horse race would also go ahead as usual. "It is always hosted in the first weekend of July and because the semi-final is on the following Wednesday, I can't see any problems." Furness cautioned local racing fans to plan well ahead. "As far as we are concerned, the Durban July offers alternative entertainment for football fans visiting Durban, which is something we are very excited about. However, it's important that people who want to travel to the July plan properly. Accommodation venues and flights will be full. "Even though we understand we are not part of the official 2010 entertainment we are going to encourage 2010 tourists to attend.
Gibela Backpackers, Budget Accommodation, http://www.gibelabackpackers.co.za