With a sigh, a wipe of his hand across his nose and then a quick flick at the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes, Durban quadriplegic Mark Charlesworth dragged his left leg on to the 550th step at the top of the arch of the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday.

At that moment, the sounds of revving engines from the supercars parked below could be heard in salute as Charlesworth raised his arms into the air. His dream to conquer the arch while raising money for charity was accomplished.

Charlesworth, who once raced Porsche cars and lost the use of his arms and legs in a horrific accident in 2004, didn’t believe that he wouldn’t walk again.

Once the Moses Mabhida Stadium was completed in 2009, he set himself the task of climbing the 550-step arch to raise funds for Hospice, the Quadpara Association, the Chris Burger fund and the Voluntary Emergency Medical Assistance unit.

read more here

The Soccer match between Amazulu FC vs Santos will be played at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday 12th May 2012: Gates open at 12h30 and kick-off is at 15h00.

Please take note of the attractions operating times:

Skycar: last Skycar trip at 10h30
Express tour: 09h00 and 10h00 only
Big Rush: last jump at 10h00,
Segway: last stadium tour at 10h00

The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations this week announced Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium), Durban (Moses Mabhida Stadium), Rustenburg (Royal Bafokeng Stadium) and Nelspruit (Mbombela Stadium) as the host cities for the tournament early next year. Johannesburg (FNB Stadium) will stage the opening match and ceremony and closing ceremony and final. The 2014 African Nations Championship (Chan) for local-based squads will be hosted by Polokwane, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Kimberley.

The KwaZulu-Natal Sport department says hosting the next year’s African Cup of Nations tournament will not benefit only Durban but the province as a whole. Spokesperson Mluleki Mtungwa said the opportunity puts the province in a position where the province’s infrastructure can be fully utilised.

“This announcement will also put KwaZulu-Natal to be a preferred venue for international events. There is always a strong desire in this province to host such an event because we know very well that there are a lot of benefits that the province can derive from hosting such events.”

Due to popular demand, the Top Gear Festival has released more tickets for the public to purchase at all shows on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 June.

Tickets can be purchased online from www.itickets.co.za

Saturday 16 June 2012 – 14:30pm show

Platinum – Available
Gold -Available
Silver -Available
Bronze – Available
Family Gold – Available
Family Silver – Available

Saturday 16 June 20:30pm show

Platinum – Available
Gold – Available
Silver – Available
Bronze – Available
Family Gold – Sold Out
Family Silver -Available

Sunday 17 June 2012 – 14:30pm show

Platinum – Available
Gold – Available
Silver – Available
Bronze -Available
Family Gold – Available
Family Silver – Available

Sunday 17 June 2012 – 19:30pm show

Platinum – Available
Gold – Available
Silver – Available
Bronze – Available
Family Gold – Available
Family Silver – Available

Tickets can be purchased online from www.itickets.co.za

Offering beauty and excitement, the cosmopolitan city of Durban is now ready for visitors to experience all that it has to offer in a dynamic new way that is convenient, fun and affordable for the whole family. Smartvisit Solutions (Africa) and iVenture Card International are excited to announce the Durban launch of the iVenture Card “See Durban Attraction Pass”. This iVenture Card – though the first of its kind in South Africa – is derived from an international model that is already in successful operation in many cities, including Sydney, Melbourne, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Steve Crory, CEO of Smartvisit Solutions, confirms, “This pass not only aims to expose more of what Durban has to offer, but due to the significant savings that the pass holder will experience, will also encourage tourists to visit more attractions to get the best value, which will ultimately benefit many businesses in the tourism industry.”

The pass offers different packages to suit the budget of all visitors. With its purchase, tourists are able to plan fun days with the family, whilst also enjoying a significant saving of up to 40% which the iVenture Card affords them. “There are four packages to choose from, namely the 3 day unlimited sightseeing package for R795.00, the 5 day unlimited sightseeing package for R895.00, the 7 day unlimited sightseeing package for R995.00 and finally the 5 in 1 package for only R495.00. Whereas the 3, 5 and 7 day packages offer unlimited sightseeing over consecutive days from first use, the 5 in 1 package enables you to visit any 5 of the top attractions during a 12 month period. Each of these packages also offers a reduced rate for children,” explains Crory.

The ‘See Durban Attraction Pass’ can be purchased by calling 086 199 4439 and will soon be available for purchase online at www.seedurbanpass.com, which is a major advantage to tourists planning their holiday. Durban Tourism Offices, located at uShaka Marine World, Gateway Theatre of Shopping, King Shaka International Airport, Florida Road and North Beach (OR Tambo Parade) are used as collection points. In addition to this, visitors to the city can purchase their iVenture Card at many of the attractions as well as at Umhlanga Tourism. Once the card has been collected and activated all that is left to be done is to plan an itinerary and start ‘dunking’.

More info: www.seedurbanpass.com

Mark Charlesworth, a quadriplegic, will attempt to climb the Moses Mabhida Stadium Arch in order to raise money for charity. The Players’ Fund are one of his chosen beneficiaries.

On Sunday the 13th of May, Mark will take to the stairs of the Durban Stadium in the hope of reaching the summit of the arch not once, but twice. That is over 1000 stairs a mere seven years after a car accident left him classified as aquadriplegic. Not an easy feat by any means and something that he has gone out of his way to achieve all in the name of charity. Besides the Players Fund, the other organizations that will be benefiting from the event are the QuadPara Association of South Africa, Highway Hospice and VEMA.

The day will also have a host of supercars on display thanks to the Porsche and Ferrari Club’s of South Africa!

This is an event we should all get behind and support. If you’re able to help – either through sponsorship or by giving your time – give Mark Charlesworth a call on 082 440 4215 or email mark@internationaltrade.co.za. Follow his training schedule on Twitter @onestepbeyondSA.

Date: 13-Apr-2012
Location: Moses Madhiba Stadium, Durban.
Contact: Mark Charlesworth
Phone: 082 440 4215
Email: mark@internationaltrade.co.za
Website: 550steps.co.za

The isiZulu-language daily title Isolezwe – a star performer both in the Independent Newspapers stable and in the South African media industry generally – marked its 10th anniversary with a celebration at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Thursday, 19 April 2012.

Isolezwe (Eye of the Nation) was launched on April 8, 2002 – the first ever isiZulu daily. After an uninterrupted decade of publishing, the newspaper now attracts an average 912 000 (AMPS 2011B) readers every weekday.

Independent Newspapers CEO, Tony Howard, who participated in the celebration, reflected on the success and development of the newspaper whose daily circulation (103 647 ABC Q4 2011) continues to show impressive growth despite the generally declining sales trend in the print industry.