We wish you all a happy and successful 2025, and we welcome you to the 1st edition of FSC of the year, hosted in the beautiful city of Durban, South Africa.
This edition will be hosted in Durban after South Africa's victory in FSC #190, with the song "Blind" performed by Lee Cole.
Let's revisit this beautiful winning entry:
Our host city for this edition is the popular seaside city of Durban, South Africa.
Durban is a port city located on the Indian Ocean coast of South Africa. It is the third largest city in South Africa, and the largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Originally named Port Natal, it is now the largest and busiest port city in Sub Saharan Africa, and 4th in the Southern hemisphere. It is the seat of the eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality, with a population of 4.2 million in the metro. The city has a subtropical climate with hot, wet summers and mild, drier winters. It is also a popular holiday destination for sunseekers and beachgoers during the summer holidays (which are in December and January in the southern hemisphere).
Durban has a rich and diverse heritage with a cosmopolitan population of mostly Zulu, Indian and white South Africans (mostly of British descent, but also some Afrikaners of mixed Dutch/German descent). The city boasts several architectural styles, from Victorian to contemporary, but especially Art Deco left its mark. Durban was one of the host cities of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, for which the Moses Mabhida stadium was built, and in 2017 it became a UNESCO City of Literature.
Durban is located in KwaZulu-Natal province. This province was created in 1994 by combining 2 parts: the former Natal province which was the successor to the British Natal Colony, and KwaZulu, the self-governing homeland (or "Bantustan") of the Zulu people, which encompassed the heartland of the erstwhile Zulu Kingdom.
The metro city contributes 60% to the provincial GDP, and about 10% to the national GDP of South Africa. Important sectors are trade and transport, finances, community services and tourism.
The area has been populated for about 100,000 years by nomadic hunter-gatherers, but about 1500 to 1000 years ago, Nguni-speaking Bantu people started migrating into the area from the Great Lakes. On Christmas Day 1497, Vasco da Gama was the first European to visit the area, and he named this stretch of the coast "Natal". By 1800 the area was inhabited by several tribes of Nguni peoples. The legendary Zulu king Shaka Zulu began uniting these tribes through wars and assimilation, and created the mighty Zulu nation. He introduced many reforms that reorganized the military and the Zulu nation became a formidable power in Southern Africa, with effects reaching as far as modern-day Zambia and Malawi. King Shaka was assassinated in 1828 by his half-brother Dingane, who became the new Zulu King.
A British trading post was set up in 1824 in the bay of Port Natal, which is seen as the founding moment of Durban. The settlement was renamed Durban in 1835, after Sir Benjamin D'Urban, then the Governor of the Cape Colony. In 1839 a group of Boer/Afrikaners, who had left the Cape Colony in search of independence, arrived in the area and proclaimed the Republic Natalia. This was short-lived, as by 1844 they had left following constant clashes with both the Zulus and the British, and the area finally fell under full British control as the Natal Colony.
The colonial British were in constant conflict with the Zulu Kingdom to the North. In 1879 the Anglo-Zulu war broke out. At the Battle of Isandlwana, the Zulu army overwhelmed and annihilated the British forces, marking the only time the British Imperial Forces were defeated by a traditional indigenous army. Later, after reinforcements arrived, the British scored victories at the Battles of Rorke's Drift and Ulundi, and the Zulu nation was defeated. Zululand was finally incorporated into the Natal Colony in 1897. Following the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902), the two British colonies of the Cape of Good Hope and Natal Colony joined together with the two former Boer Republics of Transvaal and the Orange Free State, and the Union of South Africa was thus created in 1910.
Starting in 1860, several Indian indentured workers were brought in from British India to work on Sugar cane plantations. Today, Durban has the largest population of Indians outside of the Indian subcontinent. Mahatma Ghandi also spent several years living in South Africa between 1893 and 1915, and also lived in Durban for some time. It was during these years that his career as a lawyer took off, and he developed an interest in politics and human rights. He founded the Natal Indian Congress political movement, and a newspaper called the Indian Observer. His idea of Peaceful Resistance was developed during this time. In 1915, he returned to India where he later led the Indian fight for freedom and independence.
The Durban City Hall is among the foremost examples of British Colonial Architecture in South Africa. The building was designed by architect Stanley G. Hudson and erected between 1906 and 1910. Built in an Edwardian Neobaroque style, it is almost an exact replica of the city hall in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The façades are decorated by allegorical statues depicting the arts, music, literature, commerce and industry.
Other notable attractions are the Golden Mile Beachfront, the most popular stretch of beachfront with golden sandy beaches. It runs from uShaka Marine World in the north, to Suncoast Casino and Entertainment world in the south, and includes several other attractions like Moses Mabhida Stadium, a snake park, skate park, traditional markets, a surfing museum and many restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues.
In preparation for the hosting of the 2010 FIFA world cup, many development and improvement projects were launched. These included the new King Shaka International Airport, and the Moses Mabhida Stadium. It is a multi-use stadium which can house between 55.000 and 75.000 spectators, depending on setup. It has two permanent tiers, and a third tier can be added when needed, for example for the World Cup Matches. The stadium has become an iconic landmark in the city skyline. The arch holding the roof up rises to 106m above the pitch, and has a funicular taking visitors to a viewing platform at the top. From here, one can also do bungee jumping, or enjoy the world's largest swing.
Durban is also a very sporty city. It is home to the Sharks provincial rugby union team, and has hosted matches in the 1995 Rugby World Cup. The city has two football clubs in the Premiership: AmaZulu and Golden Arrows. The provincial cricket team, the Dolphins is also based here, and matches in the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup were also hosted here. Furthermore, the city is home to thoroughbred horse racing, notably the annual Durban July Handicap at Greyville Racecourse, and the city also alternates as the starting or end point of the annual Comrades Marathon, and also hosts the yearly Duzi canoe marathon.
Other notable sites include the Botanical Gardens, the Durban Art Gallery, the Tudor styled Playhouse Theatre, the African Art Centre, several museums, churches, mosques and Hindu temples, and many beautiful natural areas like parks and nature walks. Durban is a warm and friendly city that welcomes tourists with open arms, and is proud to add hosting the Forum Song Contest to it's many accolades.
The Venue for this edition of FSC is the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre, often shortened to Durban ICC.
The Durban ICC is a large events facility located in the City of Durban. Opened by former president Nelson Mandela in 1997, it was South Africa’s first International Convention Centre and has played a pioneering role in attracting international events to Durban since its inception. The complex is composed of an arena with capacity of 10.000 spectators, a hotel, convention and ex-hibition centre.
The venue has hosted several high-level conferences like the International Aids Conference in 2000 and 2016, the 1999 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the preliminary draw for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the COP17 meeting in 2011. Other events held in the arena include Disney on Ice, the MTV Africa Music Awards, and concerts by international acts such as Enrique Iglesias, Michael Buble, Josh Groban, Mary J Blige and George Benson. It is now also proudly host to the 191st edition of the Forum song Contest.
Our hosts during the events of this edition are Siya Kolisi, Zozibini Tunzi and Somizi Mhlongo.
Siyamthanda "Siya" Kolisi (born 16 June 1991 in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape) is a South African professional rugby union player, who currently captains the South African national team, the Springboks. He is the most decorated South African captain, winning 2 back-to-back world cups in 2019 and 2023; and has received several awards like the Qatar Airways Cup, Mandela Challenge Plate and Prince William Cup. In December 2019, Kolisi was named in New African Magazine's list of 100 Most Influential Africans. He was also bestowed with the Order of the Ikamanga from President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2023 for his contributions to rugby. Siya is also a philanthropist, and founded the Kolisi Foundation in 2020.
Zozibini "Zozi" Tunzi (born 18 September 1993 in Tsolo, Eastern Cape) is a South African model, actress, celebrity and beauty pageant title holder. She was crowned Miss South Africa in 2019, and progressed to be crowned Miss Universe 2019. She was also a judge at the 2024 Miss Universe pageant held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Tunzi made her acting debut in the film The Woman King, released in 2022. She holds a bachelors degree in Public Relations Management.
Somizi Buyani Mhlongo (born 23 December 1972 in Soweto, Gauteng) is a South African television presenter, choreographer, media personality and socialite. In 1992, he appeared in the musical and political film, Sarafina!, which gained him prominence. Mhlongo became lead choreographer for numerous shows and events, including the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. He also appeared in several films, including Cry, The Beloved Country as well as several television shows like V Entertainment and Idols South Africa where he was a judge. Between 2017 and 2019 he was also one of the co-hosts of The Fresh Breakfast Show on Metro FM.
Last edited:
