The Moses Mabhida 
stadium is in the final stages of construction and is set to be one of the most 
aesthetically satisfying sports 
facilities in the world, as well as one of South Africa’s landmark stadiums for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. One of the features of the structure is the aluminium 
flat cladding that surrounds the base of the stadium, supplied by roofing solutions company 
Hulamin Roofing Solutions (HRS).

HRS, in association with 
industrial roofing contractors and merchants MJ Cheater and HBI, developed a perforated façade-cladding system that provides a vertical cladding solution to comply with the aesthetic 
requirements of architect Osmond Lange.

The multifunctional capability of this form of solution was 
important, as it needed to be able to withstand wind loads in 
excess of 2,6 kPa, provide adequate cross ventilation, as well as allow sufficient light into the structure. 
Further, the cladding sheets had to be tapered to accom-
modate the design of the building.

HRS used its latest technology, the Ziptech standing seam roofing and cladding system. It has the strength to withstand the high wind loads and dynamic raking and warping of the structure without detaching, despite the design for the pans to be per-
forated with an open area of 58%.

The wide pans and the 68-mm-
high ribs provided the aesthetics the architect required and complemented the 500-mm-deep aluminium fins, which formed part of the cladding system. The perforated surface provided the mandatory ventilation and transparency and, in addition, reduced the positive load on the building, allowing the engineers to make savings in the structural concrete and steelwork.

Specially developed fixing systems were also used to accommodate the raking and ensure that the sheets met the predicted 
life expectancy of the stadium. The roll forming and tapering of the sheets took place on site, as up to 18-m-long tapered sheets were required to fit the structure in tight tolerances. About 
48 000 m, or 70 t of coil, of 0,8-mm-thick ColorTech poly-
vinylidene fluoride-coated Ziptech roofing sheet was supplied for this project and will be installed by the end of September.

The successful use of aluminium for external cladding has been extensively proven and attributed to its aesthetic 
durability, cost effectiveness and environmental benefits.

Ziptech is a flexible, sophisticated and durable lightweight building system, which can be adapted to suit the static requirements of a building. 
However, it is Ziptech’s distinctive mechanical zipping of seams, producing a load bearing permanent connection, that has proved its exceptional resistance to positive and negative wind loading in many aggressive environments worldwide. 
This feature also sets it apart from other aluminium roofing systems.