The “Eye of Nelspruit” receives a brand-new look
Plans are afoot to turn the landmark into a prominent Lowveld tourist attraction.
The well-known soccer ball overlooking Mbombela is part of the local landscape and has garnered much interest from tourists and visitors to the Lowveld. With the passage of time, however, the landmark has attracted unsavoury elements which have turned the area into a bit of an eyesore.
Local businessman, Cobus Tomlinson, with the support of the Nelspruit Local Tourism Organisation (LTO) and the Mbombela Town Council, has recently undertaken to give the soccer ball, or “The Eye of Nelspruit” as it has become known, a much-needed face lift.
The renovation process is currently in its second phase, which is the replacement of the guard house after the previous one fell into a state of disrepair.
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“The upgrading of the soccer ball is a project initiated by the LTO and Mbombela Town Council and renovations are sponsored by the business community.Watch this space,” he said in a Facebook post.
The story behind the “Eye of Nelspruit” is quite a compelling one, it was a uniquely shaped water reservoir which drew much attention long before South Africa considered hosting the 2010 World Cup.
The dodecahedron-shaped water tower was transformed into a soccer ball by local artist, Wouter de Witt in celebration of the 2010 Soccer World Cup. The local business community was galvanised into action and the arduous task of painting the structure to resemble a giant soccer ball began in earnest.
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A new deck and gardens were built at the base and the “Eye of Nelspruit” gained fame as an interesting landmark. A fascinating aspect is that it can be seen from all the major access roads into the city and has become synonymous with Mbombela. To get there, drive along Ferreira Street up to the Steiltes roundabout.
Take the first exit left towards the Steiltes Shopping Centre and take the first left, opposite the Total Garage. Once over the stop street, you will arrive at the “Eye of Nelspruit”.
