2010 FIFA World Cup - Research on Moses Mabhida
The Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, South Africa, had its grand opening in autumn 2009. From the five stadiums that were built in South Africa as host venues for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the Moses Mabhida Stadium is the second biggest. It was designed by the famous German architects Gerkan, Marg und Partner. The Munich Büro für Gestaltung Wangler & Abele realised the graphical composition and guidance systems.
The walls of the impressive entrance area called „Stadium Window“ are graphically designed in remembrance of Moses Mabhida. A quote by Mabhida, translated in several different languages, and a photo of him cover the left wall. The right wall shows the big written words “Durban” and “Welcome” – also in different languages.
Facts & Files was commissiond by the graphical designers Wangler & Abele to do research on Moses Mabhida. Facts & Files researched Mabhida’s biography, quotations, and photos of him.
Furthermore, Facts & Files was responsible for copyright clearance and the translation of the Mabhida quote “Victory is certain” as well as of the word “Welcome” in 15 different languages.
Moses Mbheki Mncane Mabhida
(1923-1986)
- 4th October 1923 born in Thornville near Pietermaritzburg, Natal, South Africa into a peasant family
- 1932-1942 disrupted education at several different schools
- 1941 introduction to communist and unionist ideas by his teacher, Harry Gwala
- 1942 became a member of the Communist Party of South Africa
- 1943 forced to leave school due to financial constraints and worked as a waiter and later in that year began working a party-run co-operative society
- 1950 started to lead and organize several different trade unions
- 1955 elected vice-president of the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) and worked in close cooperation with the president-general of the African National Congress (ANC), Chief Albert Luthuli
- 1956 became member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the ANC
- 1960 forced to emigrated from his home country during the state of emergency and worked as SACTU representative at the World Federation of Trade Unions in Prague
- 1963 requested by Oliver Tambo to work within Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK), the armed wing of the ANC
- 1964 undertook military training in Odessa, Soviet Union
- 1964-1969 held position of MK commissar
- 1979 elected General-Secretary of the underground South African Communist Party (SACP)
- 1985 suffered a stroke on a trip to Cuba
- March 1986 died in exile in Maputo, Mozambique and was buried there
- 2nd December 2006 his remains were returned home and reburied in Pietermaritzburg, near his birthplace
