These are issues that authorities cannot afford to overlook.
There are growing concerns about traffic management, crowd control and stadium access to Betway Premiership matches.
The build-up to the blockbuster Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns clash should be about the football, the rivalry and the excitement around one of the biggest fixtures on the South African football calendar.
Growing concerns over Chiefs v Sundowns
Instead, there are growing concerns about traffic management, crowd control and stadium access. These are issues that authorities cannot afford to overlook.
The Ellis Park Disaster, in which 43 football fans lost their lives, remains one of the darkest moments in South African football history. While it may be an uncomfortable subject for some administrators, it should never become one that we are afraid to discuss.
If anything, that tragedy should remind everyone responsible for staging football matches of the importance of proper planning and crowd management.
We should not have to wait for another disaster before action is taken. Saturday’s Betway Premiership clash between Chiefs and Sundowns is expected to attract a huge crowd, with FNB Stadium set to be a hive of activity ahead of the 3pm kick-off.
The Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD), South African Police Service (SAPS) and Stadium Management must therefore ensure that everything is in place to facilitate a smooth and safe arrival for supporters.
Yes, fans also have a responsibility. They should arrive early, but authorities cannot simply shift the responsibility onto supporters when there are recurring problems with stadium access and match-day management.
We have already seen concerns around ticketing systems and scanners not working at Orlando Amstel Arana. There have also been reports of pushing and shoving before Kaizer Chiefs’ last home match, with supporters trying to force entry into FNB Stadium.
There is growing frustration among football supporters who spend their hard-earned money to attend matches, only to have their experience ruined by faulty scanners, congestion, poor access control or being denied entry despite having valid tickets.
Some supporters have even ended up going home without watching the match they paid to attend and that simply cannot become normal in South African football.
Authorities must also step up the fight against fake tickets and other criminal activities around stadium precincts. Traffic congestion before and after major matches should not be accepted as inevitable when better planning and coordination could make a difference.
Proactive planning
The frustrating part is that authorities often explain what went wrong after the event. What supporters want to see is proactive planning and decisive action when problems arise on match day.
There are meetings and security plans before matches, but when thousands of supporters arrive at the same time, it sometimes appears that the various stakeholders are not on the same page.
Supporters bring their families and loved ones to FNB Stadium to enjoy one of the biggest games of the season. They deserve to feel safe from the moment they leave home until they return.
The authorities have a responsibility to get this right. Let us make sure the biggest story on Saturday is what happens on the pitch, not what goes wrong outside it.
