Durban Deputy Mayor Breaks Silence On Moses Mabhida Stadium Renovation Delays
The eThekwini Deputy Mayor, Zandile Myeni, has confirmed to Sportswire that the extensive R236 million refurbishment of the Moses Mabhida Stadium is now targeted for completion in February 2027, as the city pushes to revive the iconic venue as a global tourism hub.
Myeni emphasized the municipality’s ambition to elevate the stadium to a world-class landmark, noting the urgency to reinvest after the venue failed to host a single Premier Soccer League (PSL) cup final last season for the first time in its history.
The eThekwini Municipality originally approved the R236 million rehabilitation budget in October 2024 to combat structural deterioration and expand the 18-year-old stadium’s commercial appeal.
Current renovations feature major lifestyle upgrades, including a revamped SkyCar, a big swing, a new zipline ending at People’s Park, a compression ring arch walk with a bungee jump option, and color-themed arch lighting.
While Derek Penhall, managing director of DPA Specialist Consulting Engineers, previously confirmed the stadium remains structurally sound, the project has battled months of delays.
The highly anticipated glass-enclosed SkyCar and expanded cantilevered viewing platform—originally scheduled for a late 2025 rollout—are still being finalized.
Despite construction disruptions, the 2010 FIFA World Cup semifinal venue remained operational last season, successfully hosting several domestic PSL fixtures and Bafana Bafana internationals.
Speaking exclusively to Sportswire at the Absa RUN YOUR CITY DURBAN 10K on Sunday, Myeni explained that expanding the initial project blueprint caused the missed deadlines, but revealed the project has passed a major milestone.
“We are at 60 percent completion,” Myeni told Sportswire.
“Delays are sometimes inevitable. As a city, we decided we needed to invest more heavily to ensure Moses Mabhida becomes a premier world-class stadium globally, not just in South Africa.
“Along the way, our initial project scope expanded. Instead of pushing structural issues down the road, we decided to undertake a comprehensive, long-term restructuring. We are happy with our progress. The public must wait and see—this will create massive opportunities for Durbanites to experience the stadium as a true tourism icon, completely separate from matchdays.”
When pressed for a definitive completion date, Myeni pointed to early next year.
“Our target is February next year,” she confirmed.
“While we must always remain mindful of unexpected challenges arising in a project of this scale, we are ready and currently finishing up what we started.”
The stadium will pivot back to football operations next month. AmaZulu is scheduled to host Betway Premiership defending champions Orlando Pirates at the venue on 2 August to kick off their new PSL campaign at home.
