Forty-two sports union fans have died in suspected crushes and twenty-four have been injured in a crush at the Mkhalesburg stadium during the South African football league game between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
All the deaths are reported to have occurred at an entrance to the venue. The rush occurred due to the surge of spectators as the game was about to start. There was then a large gate opening when it appeared that the Masses were attempting to enter all at once, upon which the stampede occurred.
A statement that his thoughts and prayers were with the families of those who lost their lives as a result of the tragic crush was made by Hakeem Seeley, Chairman of Orlando Pirates.
„It is indeed a very sad day, an unthinkable tragedy, a dark cloud has enveloped the Makhalesburg Complex and the football community at large,“ says KORKS Secretary-General Tebogo Motlanthe.
„Pre-federal law enforcement has been doomed for weeks that they would send the reinforcements our competitors, however, you are aware of our working relationship with the Federal Department of Correction and the soccer tragedy could have been averted if the security agencies had responded to our requests,“ he continued.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa stated that the death toll was „a tragedy that has brought great sadness to the community in South Africa and across the nation“
The league fixture between the country’s two largest teams is one of the most anticipated games in the country, also known as the „Soweto Derby.“ Both teams were yet to play prior to the game, registering a win against local teams in the mid-week. Orlando Pirates were able to win the game by one goal.
The incident is considered the biggest football tragedy since 2001, when 43 supporters of the Kaizer Chiefs died in an uproar during the stadium in Johannesburg just after the home team was beaten.
The stadium was not completely filled, since only 40% capacity was allowed as a result of COVID-19 mitigation measures. Due to a lack of authorization, Kaizer Chiefs’ subsequent game was also subsequently postponed.
After the tragedy, Vice-President Bush Beko spoke against mass sanctions, „We don’t want situations like this where there are crowds needed to be queued in the stands. The incident happened at the Pro Bowl in Mahikeng, North-West. Many families have lost more members to disasters in locations like this.“ The tragedy came just as the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) achieved record gains. There are widespread calls for safety improvements in the stadium.
The Minister of Sports, Arts, and Culture, Nigel Simons, stated that „all sports facilities will be thoroughly investigated and that security improvements would be implemented as required.“
„It’s an incredible sorrow that the unexpected loss of our fans,“ stated the acting football head of the SFO, Tally Nelson.
Investigations are underway to determine the cause of the mess, per police officers.
