Chiefs boss remembers Orkney disaster
Kaizer Chiefs chairperson Kaizer Motaung says the 42 people who died at Orkney Stadium will always be in their memories.
Kaizer Motaung, Chairman of Kaizer Chiefs (Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix)
Today marks 26 years since 42 people lost their lives during a stampede during a preseason friendly between Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
The fans died in the overcrowded stadium during a stampede, which occurred after Fani Madida equalised for Amakhosi.
“The fallen will always be in our memory,” Motaung told the club’s official website.
“We have a tradition at Kaizer Chiefs of recalling the high and low points in our history as a club.
“The Orkney disaster is certainly a dark moment. Every year, we stand still to commemorate what happened that day. This is also why we played the legends game in August 2015 – to honour those that lost their lives.
“On behalf of Kaizer Chiefs, I would like to extend words of sympathy to the family and friends of the departed ones.”
Ace Khuse, who also played in that preseason friendly in 1991, recalls an uproar by the crowd, upset that the game was stopped.
“We heard in the dressing room that the game was not going to continue, but we only realised the full extent of the tragedy when we were in the bus leaving the stadium. Many players cried when they heard the news.”
