It’s high time the PSL jacked up security
JUST before Mamelodi Sundowns’ Absa Premiership match against Orlando Pirates at Loftus Versfeld restarted following a long stoppage, one of the stadium staff rushed with a bucket filled with water and a broom.
He used the water and the broom to wash away the blood on a section of the pitch after a violent outburst from Pirates’ fans that resulted in 13 fans being taken to hospital. It was a disturbing sight.
The sad part about all of this is that it could have been avoided or managed better if securities were prompt in their response. Tension started just after the hour mark following Ricardo Nascimento’s goal from the penalty spot. A group of Pirates’ fans threw missiles onto the field and then stripped the perimeter fence that protects the pitch. That’s when security officials should have acted and kicked out the hooligans who were disturbing an entertaining game of football. They didn’t and it all spiralled out of control.
After removing the broadcasters’ cables, which led to the TV blackout, Pirates fans invaded the pitch with violent intentions. The players from both teams dashed to the change room. Pirates fans were denied access to them. They went berserk. One even attacked a fan who was on a wheelchair. That incensed the Sundowns fans who were sitting on the main stand.
They rushed to his defence and to block the access to the change room. Violent clashes ensued with a number of fans beaten senseless. Most of the security personnel stood helpless and watched the chaos. It took the arrival of the police to quell the situation.
A Nyala van entered the field. The police fired stun grenades to disperse the crowd. It took some time but they eventually won that battle. During the clashes, a few of the security guards intervened. Most watched on because they aren’t adequately trained to deal with riots nor do they get paid enough to put their lives at risk.
The scenes at Loftus should be the final straw in terms of how security personnel are sourced and trained. I remember during my time at high school, our principal was in charge of safety in most of the games in Durban. He used to tell us to tell our unemployed relatives to come to the school just before some games. They would be hired to “act” as securitiy guards more than anything because they weren’t trained to deal with the crowd. There has since been a degree of professionalism in how securities are sourced, but it can be improved.
The chaos that ensued at Loftus is almost similar to the brawl that took place last year between Bloemfontein Celtic fans and Pirates supporters at Orlando Stadium. Before it was a full-on brawl, it started with small skirmishes. There were two or three security guards who saw that but they didn’t act promptly, resulting in the ugly scenes.
With the huge amounts of money that is invested in South African football, some of that money should go towards training and properly paying the people whose jobs it is to protect the fans who go to the stadium. The attendance is bad enough as it is. We can’t afford to give people more reasons to stay away from matches.