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Kaizer Chiefs condemns violent attacks, calls for an end to hooliganism

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Kaizer Chiefs fans attack a security guard at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban on Saturday night. Picture:File
Kaizer Chiefs fans attack a security guard at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban on Saturday night. Picture:File

Kaizer Chiefs chairperson Kaizer Motaung has broken his silence following Saturday night’s violent end to the club’s football game against Free State Stars.

Fans of the club went on the rampage after their team lost in the semifinal match of the Nedbank Cup at Durban’s Moses Mabhida stadium. Millions of rands of damage was sustained and several people were injured, including a security guard who was rushed to hospital.

Motaung condemned the violence, and called on people “who claim to be our fans to stop this hooliganism immediately”.

“Such behaviour goes against the very ethos of what Amakhosi stands for, which is love and peace. It besmirches the reputation of the club and the millions of well-mannered supporters who make up the Kaizer Chiefs family; it brings the game of football itself into disrepute and, on a wider scale, it reflects very badly on our people and our country when the footage is disseminated across the world,” Motaung said.

Although the club understood the fans’ frustration that they lost the match, “venting frustration through rampant thuggery is totally unacceptable”.

Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela resigned immediately after the match.

Motaung said the club would cooperate with law enforcement agencies and the Premier Soccer League to ensure the perpetrators were brought to book.

Two men were arrested and were charged with public violence and malicious damage to property. They were scheduled to appear at the Durban Magistrates’ Court today.

PSL chairperson Irvin Khoza was expected to address the media at 12pm.

On Sunday the league expressed its disdain towards the violence, saying that the league would be taking action.

“The Premier Soccer League strongly condemns acts of hooliganism and violence that took place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night ... Hooliganism and thuggery of this nature has no place in football and acts of violence perpetrated by individuals ... cannot be tolerated,” the league said .

Police were called in to help manage the situation, which quickly spiralled out of control as irate fans damage camera equipment and the stadium itself. Teargas was used to disperse the violent crowd.

Meanwhile political parties called for swift intervention from Parliament.

The Democratic Alliance’s sports and recreation spokesperson, Tsepo Mhlongo, called on the portfolio committee chairperson on sports, Beauty Dlulane, to call the league to Parliament to account for Saturday’s events.

“The PSL must provide concrete plans on interventions they will be implementing to stop violence at football matches and ensure safety of spectators and officials. It is not acceptable that a family spectator sport regularly degenerates to violence that threatens the wellbeing of everyone, because the PSL fails to take stern action against hooligans who perpetuate violence,” Mhlongo said.

Earlier this month Kaizer Chiefs was fined R250 000, of which R200 000 was suspended for 24 months. The club was found guilty of misconduct for failing to ensure proper safety measures were implemented at a April 7 match against Chippa United, in which its supporters threw objects on to the pitch following the team losing the game.

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