Calls to review stadium security
Security measures and evacuation plans at sports stadiums must be examined.
Security measures and evacuation plans at sports stadiums need to be reviewed in the wake of the death of two people in a stampede at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday afternoon, the South African National Civic Organisation (Sanco) said.
Sanco yesterday conveyed its condolences to the families of the two football fans who died in the turnstile stampede as the derby match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates got underway. Seventeen other people were injured in the incident – one critically and 16 with minor injuries.
Sanco national spokesperson Jabu Mahlangu urged authorities to review security and evacuation plans to ensure that such incidents did not happen again.
“One would have assumed that lessons were learned from the April 11, 2001, Ellis Park stampede that claimed 43 lives and the January 13, 1991 incident that claimed 42 lives at Oppenheimer Stadium in Orkney. It is tragic that after what was a thriller between the two Soweto giants ended with the loss of lives,” he said.
Extraordinary measures and advanced communication systems had to be employed whenever capacity crowds were expected at football matches.
“The excitement and the frenzied crowd must be managed in such a way that there are no incidents and every fan encouraged to take responsibility for their safety and that of others,” Mahlangu said.
Johannesburg mayor Herman Mashaba also extended the city’s condolences to the families of the people who died during Saturday’s stampede.
“The cause of the stampede is under investigation by the South African Police Service [Saps]. The city’s emergency management services, 100 Johannesburg metro police department officers and disaster management unit are on-site,” he said.
All gates had been opened to ensure crowd control and the game proceeded without any further incident. Mashaba said the city would work with the Saps to ensure the cause of the tragedy was investigated.
“This sad loss of life at such a highly anticipated event is indeed a tragedy and the city will work with all the relevant authorities to prevent tragedies such as this in future,” Mashaba said.
The stampede was believed to have taken place outside the stadium while the match was already well underway. As such, the match was completed with many unaware of the disaster, until various reports started flooding in just before the end of the match.