Derby day means a nightmare for security

Ihave been critical of referees starting games while there are hundreds of supporters outside the stadium making their way in, especially in the overly hyped Soweto Derby.

But now I might have changed my mind after I realised that if we were to wait for everyone to be inside the venue before kick-off, the match might not take place at all.

The supporters just do not want to keep time. Why would you leave your house after 1om if you really want to get to the stadium on time, knowing full well that there are road closures and heavy security vetting which needs at least an hour to run its course?

And then there are those who do not have parking tickets but try to bulldoze their way to designated parking areas and hold everyone up when they have been stopped by security and told to go back. I mean, how in your tiny mind do you think you can get to park in a VIP area without a relevant ticket, especially in a Category 1 match? We have to be better than that. Let us learn to follow protocol and rules because they were set up for our own safety.

Last Saturday I saw some guys driving in a fancy and luxurious minibus but they had apparently forgot to buy parking tickets. They looked like the kind who were invited to one of the suites but the “tickets were with someone who was already inside”. The security guard politely told them he couldn’t let them through without the tickets and told them to park on the side while he called his supervisor to assist them. @SbongsKaDonga

Fair enough, but that’s only if you are reasonable. Those guys protested and for about 10 minutes they tried to convince the security guy to let them through. I quipped to the guy that these guys must not have ever dealt with security guards before because when they have ruled on something, no amount of begging will make them change their mind.

We were stuck for about 10 minutes while they negotiated and I think I saw one of them even trying to sweeten the deal by offering a financial incentive for the guy to let them through. Despite telling them that even if he let them through the first gate, they would not get anywhere as they would have to produce their tickets before being allowed in at the next gate, they insisted.

They only gave way after a few guys had left their cars and went to threaten them if they didn’t move aside. That ruckus attracted the attention of the police and they sorted the situation out as they threatened to arrest the guys for resisting an official police order to move their car.

I thought it would have been easier for them to have phoned whoever had their tickets and asked them to come to them outside and the 10 minutes we wasted would have been spent doing something worthwhile like taking pictures and videos of the weirdness that happens on the sidelines of the derby.

And then there are those who do the right thing and arrive at the stadium quite early. But then they sit outside drinking alcohol until they hear the noise signifying the match has started. They then try to push their way through and cause chaos in the meantime.

All these things have a possibility of causing a stampede one day and it will be the officials who will be asked to take responsibility and are held to account. But we as individuals need to also help the situation by ensuring we follow the orders and procedures to ensure a day meant for joy and fun doesn’t turn sour.