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The final leg of our Durban township tour took us to Princess Magogo Stadium for a Currie Cup clash between the Sharks and the Boland Kavaliers.
After several hours on the road, there was no quiet arrival. The stands were filling up and the crowd was ready for rugby.
The Sharks had made 4,000 tickets available free of charge, drawing more than 2,000 people to the stadium. There were families, groups of friends and plenty of children taking in the action.
It was a change from the Sharks’ usual home at Kings Park and a rare rugby fixture for a stadium more commonly associated with football.
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Who was Princess Magogo?
Princess Magogo Stadium was upgraded ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and used as an official training ground for teams based in Durban. It has since staged several football competitions, including COSAFA Cup fixtures.
It is named after Princess Constance Magogo kaDinuzulu, the daughter of King Dinuzulu kaCetshwayo and the mother of the late Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
She was also a musician, composer and poet who played traditional instruments including the ugubhu and isithontolo. Her work helped preserve traditional Zulu music, and she was widely respected for her knowledge of Zulu customs and folklore.
The background to the name is easy to miss when you are there to watch sport, but it gave our final destination an unexpected link to everything that had come before it.
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A Saturday at the rugby
Once the match started, there was no tour commentary or long explanation of where we were. We found our seats and watched the game with everyone else.
The crowd celebrated every good run, groaned when opportunities were lost and kept an eye on the field even while conversations carried on in the stands.
You did not have to be a committed rugby supporter to enjoy the afternoon. For many people, the free tickets offered a chance to see the Sharks play close to home and bring the children along.
It also gave us time to be in KwaMashu without rushing towards the next stop. We were no longer passing through. We had joined the Saturday crowd and had a match to watch.
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The last stop
By the time the final whistle blew, we were tired, full and ready to head home.
It had been a long day, but that was the point. We had travelled through parts of Durban many visitors — and many Durbanites — may never think to include in a day out.
Ending at the rugby felt easy. We watched the match, took in the crowd and let KwaMashu have the final word.
The beach could wait.
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