Nelson Mandela Bay is bracing for a bumper weekend as more than 24,000 rugby fans from out of town are expected to visit the city for the Springbok clash against Italy on Saturday, a match that promises high-stakes action and a major cash injection for the metro.
With 95% of the city’s 12,708 available beds already booked over two nights, the Test match is set to bring an economic boost of nearly R44.6m, driven by visitors spending an average of R1,850 daily on accommodation, food, transport, tickets and entertainment, according to the municipality.
To ensure a smooth and safe experience, the metro is ramping up security with more than 50 traffic and metro police officers deployed around the stadium, ready to welcome spectators flooding in.
The 46,000-capacity stadium was almost sold out by Thursday afternoon with fewer than 700 tickets left, with supporters set to be entertained by various artists before the game.
The Springbok match kicks off at 5.10pm, after the women’s team’s clash against Canada at 1.30pm.
Gates open at noon, with the beer garden ready to welcome guests.
Live entertainment starts at 12.30pm with Stephanie Be and Mike Bower, followed by performances from Nick Hamman, the Saxby Twins, and Booshle G.
After the game, Biggy will hit the stage and Stephanie Be and Mike Bower will return on stage to close off the party.
To accommodate fans, the following roads will be closed from 9am to 11pm on Saturday:
- Prince Alfred Road between Milner Avenue and Quick Street;
- Milner Avenue between Stebonheath Road and Sydenham Road; and
- Fettes Road between York Road and Stockelbach Street.
Designated drop-off and pickup zones for taxis, e-hailing services and buses will be located in North Street between Innes Street and Bagshaw Street, with the New Law Courts parking area serving as the official pickup and drop-off point for Uber and metered taxis.
Dozens of venues across the city are hosting watch parties — many are already fully booked but still accepting walk-ins.
Meanwhile, accommodation providers are turning guests away as available beds rapidly fill up.
The metro’s acting economic development executive director, Wandisile Makwabe, said the event was expected to generate a significant economic boost by drawing both residents and out-of-town visitors.
Makwabe said the projected average R1,850 daily spend was a conservative estimate, with actual spending likely to be significantly higher due to the wide range of opportunities available during such a high-profile event.
“The city is set to welcome around 24,145 visitors travelling from other regions of SA and abroad.
“This high demand for accommodation reflects the strong appeal of the Springboks, who consistently draw large crowds for international fixtures.
“This impact excludes spending by residents and event organising costs [which add to the income generated].
“It focuses solely on the contributions made by visitors and the tourism sector.
“In addition to the direct economic impact, the game also provides a valuable opportunity for destination marketing exposure for the city.”
Makwabe said hosting matches of this magnitude put the region in the global spotlight, attracting attention from both national and international media.
Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber chief executive Denise van Huyssteen said these types of events brought many positive benefits to the local economy including extended tourism opportunities, hospitality and retail spending, and the profiling of the city on the global stage.
“It’s vital that in preparation for the event, local government stakeholders ensure that the electricity, water and sanitation infrastructure is well functioning and priority is given to critical areas such as safety and security, lighting and cleanliness.”
Van Huyssteen said these basic requirements were key in attracting repeat visitors and getting sports tourists to stay on longer and spend money.
“Events of this nature have the potential to create hundreds of direct and indirect downstream jobs, especially within the small business sector.”
With watch parties drawing eager fans to packed venues and accommodation quickly reaching capacity, last-minute visitors are finding fewer places to stay.
PE Metropolitan Bed & Breakfast Association chair Shena Wilmot said operators were getting an influx of accommodation requests.
She said this meant many were fully booked.
“It is fantastic that we have the rugby in our city. It would be great if we could get more big matches as such events are a huge boost for tourism.
“These events bring in much-needed revenue — not just for hotels but also for restaurants, car hire companies, activities and more.
“This means more jobs too, so it is a real win-win.”
Beachwalk B&B owner Cliff Hanks said he had turned away 60 bookings.
“We only have two rooms available on Friday and we are fully booked for Saturday.
“This is good for business.
“It would be great if we got events this big quarterly; many businesses would get a boost.”
No 4 Boutique Beach House owner Pat Fleischer said the match brought about a great mood.
“We haven’t had such a lovely vibe in the city in a while. It is amazing.
“Everyone seems so happy that the Boks are in the city and I must say business has been good.
“It is unfortunate that we have had to turn people away because we are getting so many calls from those who are still looking for accommodation and everyone seems fully booked.”
Restaurants and pubs will be abuzz with competitions, food and drink specials.
Others are putting up additional screens and tables to accommodate as many guests as possible.
De Swan Pub and Grill manager Ryno van der Vyver said they had hired three Algoa buses to ferry patrons to and from the stadium.
“People will get here a bit early and we will have a bit of a vibe and at 2.30pm the buses will depart to the stadium.
“This is for people who already have bought the tickets, they will also get a beer and everything costs R100.”
Bridge Street Brewery manager Thabz Sithole said they were fully booked.
“We have made provisions for walk-ins but patrons are encouraged to arrive early to secure space.
“We have a big screen for easy viewing which will be enjoyed with our food and drink special.
“We’re also hosting a huge after-party until midnight because we already anticipate that the Boks will win once again.”
Barney’s Tavern general manager Danie Bothma said though they were fully booked, they had also made provisions to squeeze in a few more people.
“We are excited to host our guests for the game but we don’t want to overcrowd the space because we still want people to be comfortable.”
Bothma said they had installed nine screens and a projector.
Chingada’s Mexican Cantina manager Tracey du Plessis said they had put up two screens by the bar and another one outside in the courtyard.
“We’ll be running several specials on the day.
“Anyone who is wearing a Springbok jersey will get a free tequila shot.
“We are still taking bookings but we expect to be very busy on the day. Walk-ins will be allowed.”
The Herald
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