Jo'bulani gets new home

JO'BULANI, the football used in the final match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™, has found a new guardian in Nelson Mandela's 46664 not for-profit-organisation.

Remember the Jo'bulani ...Remember the Jo'bulani ...The adidas ball was handed over to Achmat Dangor, a 46664 board member, by Ethiopian athlete Haile Gebrselassie, at an official ceremony at the Nelson Mandela Foundation in Houghton on Tuesday, 11 October.

The foundation said handing the ball over signalled a watershed in a partnership established during the World Cup, and symbolised the value of adidas' fundraising efforts to contribute to a lasting legacy of the tournament.

Gavin Cowley, the marketing director of adidas South Africa, said that during the World Cup adidas embarked on a nationwide campaign called Unite Mzansi Unite, which sought to mobilise ordinary people to unite in celebrating the first African World Cup.

Throughout the campaign, adidas sports clothing was sold and the money was donated to 46664 charities.

Jo'bulani hand-over
View our video of the event
"The campaign was created to inspire the world to celebrate diversity in unity while raising funds for 46664 and contributing to long-term projects that will leave a lasting legacy long after the implementation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™," Cowley said.

It was one of adidas' major social responsibility efforts, linked to Nelson Mandela International Day, which celebrates the ability of individuals to change the world.

The campaign was run in "tandem" with Mandela's ethos, he said, adding that handing over the ball was "our small way of inspiring pride and hope among South Africans in the same way that Nelson Mandela has done throughout his lifetime".

Dangor commended adidas for using Mandela's legacy to foster change and make the world a better place.

Ethiopian athlete Haile GebrselassieEthiopian athlete Haile GebrselassieJo'bulani was unveiled as the official World Cup ball on 21 April 2010, 50 days before kickoff, by the sports clothing company. It was handed to the City of Joburg because it was hosting the opening and the final matches of the competition.

After Spain beat Holland in the final at Soccer City, it was put away.

But because the ball was a Joburger, was named Jo'bulani and was gold colour in honour of Joburg's rich gold history, Cowley said, efforts were made to get the ball from FIFA. It obliged and the ball was brought home.

Dangor said it would join a heap of other memorabilia and paraphernalia already archived at the Nelson Mandela Foundation. It would be permanently exhibited in the foundation's entrance hall once refurbishments to the building had been completed.

Jo'bulani was used in the World Cup last year and is a replica of Jabulani – loosely translated as "be merry or enjoy yourselves" – the official soccer ball used throughout the country during the month-long football tournament.