PSL games are like a bomb in the hands of a toddler

The Betway Premiership opening round of matches last week between Orlando Pirates and Milford FC at Orlando Stadium; and the Kruger United versus Kaizer Chiefs at the Mbombela Stadium were not the biggest fixtures by any stretch of the imagination. Nonetheless, they highlighted and put to the fore some of the red flags that South African football has been facing, and ignoring, in the last couple of seasons.

For the umpteenth time, there was chaos in Orlando and police had to resort to riot-control water cannons to cool down some of the supporters who tried to make their way into the stadium when security and organisers had locked the gates. Sadly, some of those who were locked out had legitimate tickets in their hands, but the situation at the entrances escalated to a near disaster.

In Mbombela, Kruger’s first match in the paid ranks had to be postponed by about 30 minutes due to the fans arriving late in the sold-out encounter. When the two teams were warming up 15 minutes before kick-off, the opposite grandstand was empty, but a few minutes later, when Chiefs were throttling the life out of Mpumalanga’s new kids on the block, there were no empty seats.

Big matches have really left a lot of us on the edge of our seats. Sadly, and against the norm, this was not because of the scintillating action, the shibobos and the sublime goals, but because of the risk and danger that hovers. To sum it up, PSL matches are now like a bomb in the hands of a toddler.

PSL matches at FNB, Orlando and Loftus Stadium have become so problematic, giving the authorities sleepless nights, and observers like myself, the jitters – while the football authorities fold their hands, and remain blasé. It’s only a matter of time before disaster strikes.

Last year at the Soweto derby, more than 100 000 people made their way into the FNB Stadium which is designed to accommodate 94 000 spectators. As soon as some of the hooligans found their way inside, they expropriated any seat or piece of space they could find, whether it was in the VIP, stairways, the media tribune or even the emergency exits; they did not give a toss.

And as they blocked the view for others, sporadic knuckle-samosas were exchanged with gay abandon while the hapless security looked on.
Fake tickets remain a lucrative and booming business for the nimble-fingered shysters outside the calabash.

Late arrival at the stadium is also a big problem, and was also identified as one of the major contributing factors to why football fans died during the Ellis Park Stadium stampede.
On that fateful day in 2001, a total of 43 diski lovers left their homes to watch a game of football but did not return home to their loved ones.

The then-president Thabo Mbeki initiated a commission of inquiry into the Ellis Park disaster, chaired by Justice Bernard Ngoepe. According to the inquiry, two of the factors that led to the tragedy were the ticketing and late arrivals for matches.

But what is more worrying, more than 25 years later, is that the PSL and all the clubs do not seem to be playing a part in terms of educating their fans. This is left in the hands of SMSA, to take care of all aspects – security, and all communication including road closure information.
The clubs should be working hand-in-hand with law enforcement agencies, the SAPS, JMPD and the parking security detail, alongside SMSA.

The clubs must also get their branches involved in delivering the message of being responsible and to celebrate in a more mature way at the derby.
This is not a light-hearted matter anymore, and they cannot leave everything to chance. Diski supporters need a mindset shift, and to adopt a new set of beliefs and values.

Kgomotso Mokoena