”There can never be an end to the pain,” said Julia Ntsoane, whose sister Mampo was one of the 43 people killed in a stampede at Ellis Park on April 11 2001.
Ntsoane said she decided to leave the packed stadium early because she could not put with the crowds at the derby between Orlando Stadium and Kaizer Chiefs.
”We split up — she told me, you go back and I’ll go ahead,” said Ntoane. That was the last time she saw her sister alive.
Ntsoane was one of a small group of people gathered on Thursday for the winding-up of the Ellis Park Disaster Relief Fund, established immediately after the tragedy to help the families cope with funeral and other expenses.
Transvaal Judge President Bernard Ngoepe told the families and sports officials present that the best tribute to the victims will be to make sure it does not happen again.
Ngoepe, who chaired an inquiry on the disaster, lashed out at some ”selectively illiterate” journalists for reporting that he had found no wrongdoing relating to the disaster.
”The report dedicated a number of pages to criticising many role players,” he later said.
”The planning was bad, some members of the security team accepted bribes to allow people into the stadium without tickets and the police deployed razor wire too late … one can go on.”
However, he believes security has been improved.
”As I watch things from a distance, I see that attempts have been made to implement recommendations. I am happy with the way things are going — I have taken a global look and are happy with the situation so far.”
A ”cumbersome” Venue Safety Bill is currently at the 23rd draft stage and is expected to be finalised next year, Department of Sport and Recreation legal adviser Gideon Boshoff said.
”We are trying to ensure that what happened at Ellis Park would never have to happen again.”
Premier Soccer League (PSL) chief executive Trevor Philips said: ”There were certainly lessons learnt from the report. Security forces are better trained now — there is still a long way to go, but the training process is almost complete.”
The organisation is also interviewing candidates for a national safety and security officer.
”It has been a long road and not a simple task. It required a change of culture on the part of many people. Disasters are not caused by a single factor, they are caused by a dozen different factors.”
Speaking on behalf of the families, Reverend Ntomi Maphanga said the families have read the report and are satisfied with it.
Thursday’s payment of R1 400 came after an initial payment of R15 000, followed by R2 500. This is separate to any civil claims, which the latest PSL’s biannual report estimates at R20-million and which will be covered by the league’s insurers, said Leepile Taunyane, chairperson of the fund. — Sapa