OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday
POLICE have denied that they used teargas against thousands of soccer fans at Johannesburgs Ellis Park stadium, where a stampede on Wednesday night killed at least 47 people – including women and children – and injured at least 85 more.
Sports Minister Ngconde Balfour is to meet senior soccer officials to discuss the tragedy, which took place when thousands of soccer fans descended on the stadium to watch the derby between arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
Television reports said too many tickets were sold for the game, and people outside tried to push into the stadium and were trapped against barbed wire fencing. TV reports showed bodies strewn on the field, covered in blankets.
Balfour will meet officials of the Premier Soccer League, the SA Football Association, and Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
Police said it was too early lay blame for the tragedy, which Premier Soccer League (PSL) chief Robin Petersen said could have been averted if officials had acted sooner.
“Maybe had we responded earlier, the situation would have been averted. When I got here … somebody from Kaizer Chiefs told me that there was trouble and we immediately went to the corner where the stampede happened and already there was one person dead.
“We didn’t realise the magnitude of the problem. When I was told there was a problem, I thought that maybe people were fainting and when I got there is when I realised the game had to be called off.”
Fans were “pushed and crushed like animals” against barbed wire by security guards, said one spectator.
It was reported that police had teargassed those who were stampeding outside the stadium, but this has been hotly denied by police.
A fan who watched the horrific scene unfold said he was ignored by security officials when he warned them even before the kick-off.
Jabulani Jali noticed that people were trying to force their way into the stand and he immediately went to security personnel. He said had the start of the match been delayed by an hour, it could have at least kept the toll down.
Petersen promised an investigation into the stampede.
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