Latest news with #BertieGrobbelaar
The Citizen
10-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Police tighten security as KZN Soweto derby final ticket bungle sparks fan outrage
As KZN gears up for the Soweto derby showdown at Moses Mabhida Stadium today, law enforcement authorities say they are ready to ensure safety and order, despite a ticketing fiasco that has left thousands of fans outraged and demanding refunds. The Witness reports that as the Nedbank Cup final between fierce rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is set to kick off at 15h30 today, the 60 000-seater stadium is expected to be filled to capacity. But what was meant to be a celebrated football event has been overshadowed by a chaotic ticketing process that saw more than 10 000 additional transactions processed due to a system failure. According to Stadium Management SA CEO Bertie Grobbelaar, tickets went live earlier than scheduled, causing a technical glitch on the Open Tickets platform. As a result, 19 561 people paid for tickets but did not initially receive them, while another 10 501 tickets were sold beyond the stadium's capacity. 'From the overissuing of tickets, 19 561 had to be allocated to people who paid but did not get their tickets, and 10 501 tickets were paid for, but were overcapacity, and those people had to be refunded,' says Grobbelaar, who was brought in as an independent auditor by the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to help manage the crisis. The fallout has been significant, with fans taking to social media to express anger and disappointment. Some even threatened to go to the stadium without tickets, raising fears of chaos and potential stampedes. However, KZN police say they are aware of the threats and have revised their operational plans accordingly. Addressing the media yesterday morning, KZN deputy police commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba assured the public that a comprehensive safety and security plan was already in motion. 'We have been in contact with the organiser, the PSL, with the aim of delivering a historic cup final. All event protocols, including risk categorisation, have been done and, as police, we are comfortable with the venue,' says Makoba. She says law enforcement is aware of the ticketing glitch and the anger it caused, but warned that any attempt to disrupt the event would be met with firm action. 'Our intelligence officers are at work, identifying those individuals who are hellbent on creating chaos. No lawlessness will be tolerated.' Makoba says certain roads around the stadium will now be fully closed to increase security and reduce the risk of congestion. 'The stadium precinct is practically our red zone and no one without a valid matchday ticket must come close.' eThekwini Municipality has set up public viewing areas for fans who were unable to secure tickets, and police have urged supporters to make use of these facilities instead of heading to the stadium without access. 'Anyone who will be found selling tickets — whether fake or authentic — will be arrested and locked up.' Supporters have also been warned not to bring firearms, knives, bottles or other dangerous weapons, and to use park-and-ride facilities to ease traffic flow. Despite the early turbulence, Makoba assured the public that the derby will go ahead safely. 'Our operational plan goes beyond the stadium and has been designed to deliver a safe and secure 2024 Nedbank Cup final,' she says. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal.
TimesLIVE
08-05-2025
- Sport
- TimesLIVE
Fans vow to invade Moses Mabhida — even without tickets
Though fans who thought they received tickets, only to find they were unsuccessful, for Saturday's Nedbank Cup final have been warned not to go near Moses Mabhida Stadium, some have threatened they will make the trip to Durban and attempt to gain entry. Chaos surrounded ticket sales since they went up for purchase at 10am on Monday for the Soweto derby cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates (3.30pm). Scores of supporters complained they have bought tickets online with providers Open Tickets and Computicket, but then did not receive them or any indication that they will receive them. Others were turned away from retailers and told to buy on the internet, but Open Tickets' online system was reportedly overwhelmed and many were unsuccessful. Many supporters who thought they had their purchase confirmed received messages via email or WhatsApp that there had been over-selling and they were in fact not successful. [WATCH] Stadium Management SA managing director Bertie Grobbelaar says the 41 000 general tickets that were up for sale for the Nedbank Cup final were sold out within 90 minutes after being made available. #Newzroom405 — Newzroom Afrika (@Newzroom405) May 7, 2025 The PSL confirmed on Thursday Open Tickets' and Computicket's systems crashed due to overwhelming demand on Monday, resulting in tickets being over-sold past the stadium's 41,000 capacity allocated for the public by about 10,000 extra tickets. It said those who were accidentally sold non-viable tickets have been or are being refunded. However, many fans spent thousands of rand on travel and accommodation in Durban, believing they had been successful buying tickets. Some vowed to go to Moses Mabhida and try to buy tickets from touts. Tsietsi Mkansi, a staunch Chiefs fan from Sandton, had long made plans to travel to Durban for the derby final. He said he could not purchase a ticket because of the chaos that ensued once they went on sale this week, despite having already forked out R15,000 on flights and accommodation. 'I booked accommodation, a flight and hired a car after Chiefs beat Sundowns in the semifinals [in Tshwane mid-April]. Overall, I have spent R15,000, so I don't know what to do, but I will still go to Durban, hoping I can buy tickets there. There are three of us travelling,' Mkansi said. 'When I tried to buy a ticket, I received a reference number, saying I would get one, but this morning I got an email telling me my ticket wasn't generated. I was so disappointed.' Tebogo Matlala, a Chiefs supporter from Polokwane, explained how he and his four friends find themselves 'compelled' to go to Durban even without tickets, hoping they will buy them from touts outside the stadium. 'We arranged accommodation — four single rooms at R1,300 per night each,' Matlala said. 'The plan was always to drive down to Durban with my three brothers. The problem started on Monday when we couldn't buy tickets. As the SAPS, we will be very strict on the ground. If you know you don't have tickets to watch the game, rather stay away or go somewhere else where you can watch the match [on TV] instead of coming to the stadium to cause unnecessary conflict. SAPS Maj-Gen Phumelele Makoba 'We just received reference numbers, but today we got notifications that we couldn't secure tickets and we be refunded. We will still go there and I hope we can buy tickets from people outside the stadium.' However, KwaZulu-Natal deputy police commissioner responsible for policing and operations Maj-Gen Phumelele Makoba promised a strict response to deal with fans who try to descend on the sold-out venue without tickets. 'As the SAPS, we will be very strict on the ground,' Makoba said. 'If you know you don't have tickets to watch the game, rather stay away or go somewhere else where you can watch the match [on TV] instead of coming to the stadium to cause unnecessary conflict.' The final will be the second Soweto derby on successive weekends after Pirates beat Chiefs 2-1 in a Betway Premiership clash at a packed FNB Stadium on Saturday. Chiefs are aiming to avoid going to a decade without silverware in the final. Pirates want to give outgoing coach José Riveiro the perfect send-off of another cup trophy — he has won five out of six — with a third successive Nedbank Cup winners' medal, which would also give the Spaniard a record six derby wins in a row in all competitions.
News24
07-05-2025
- Sport
- News24
Nedbank Cup final sells out in chaos, with just 41 000 tickets available for the public
Ticketing chaos surrounds the Nedbank Cup final as the PSL confirms a sold-out match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, but fans faced issues with system glitches and overselling. Over 10 000 tickets were mistakenly sold beyond the stadium's capacity, causing frustration, with refunds being processed for affected customers. PSL officials will investigate the situation, with an independent auditor, SMSA CEO Bertie Grobbelaar, analysing the ticket distribution process after the mishap. For more, visit News24 Sport's local soccer page. The Premier Soccer League (PSL) has confirmed that Saturday's Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is officially sold out, but the build-up has been overshadowed by widespread frustration over ticketing issues. Fans rushed to secure their seats for what promises to be a fiery Soweto Derby showdown at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium, but many were left disappointed – not by availability, but by technical failures and miscommunication. Supporters took to social media in droves to voice their anger after purchasing tickets online through Computicket and Open Tickets, only to be left empty-handed with no confirmation, no tickets, and in some cases, refund notices citing system errors or overselling. One last dance for Riveiro. Will he make #NedbankCup history and complete the 3-peat? ☠ 🇪🇸 — Nedbank Sport (@nedbanksport) May 6, 2025 Chaos also erupted at physical outlets. Some fans were turned away and told to go online, only to find digital platforms overwhelmed and unresponsive. The high demand appeared to crash the system, while others who believed their purchases were successful were later informed via email or WhatsApp that they were not. Acting PSL CEO Mato Madlala confirmed that all tickets have been sold and assured affected supporters that refunds would be processed for failed purchases. Stadium Management SA (SMSA) CEO Bertie Grobbelaar, although not responsible for Moses Mabhida Stadium operations, was brought in to assist with managing the fallout. 'The demand for Soweto derby tickets is always more than what we can supply,' Madlala said. 'What we did after the ticket sales and problems we experienced because of volumes was we roped in Bertie. He has hosted matches at FNB Stadium using the same companies (Open Tickets and Computicket). 'We asked him to come as an independent auditor to advise us in terms of what happened because we want the truth. I don't want to listen to a service provider telling me what they think they should be telling me or telling me things that will please me – I want the raw truth. 'Bertie is not representing SMSA, but he's representing me. I said he must analyse this report (on ticket sales) and tell me what is wrong or right and what we can fix.' Grobbelaar revealed that the 56 000-seat Moses Mabhida Stadium had a clearly defined ticket distribution plan in place. According to his findings, all tickets made available to the public were snapped up in just 90 minutes. 'The major concern was the over-issuing of tickets – that was the main concern of the CEO, PSL and the chairman (Irvin Khoza),' he said. 'From the data I have obtained, the approved capacity of the stadium is 49 307 seats. It's a reduced capacity by the stadium's management and that is the number of tickets that were issued. 'Hospitality [tickets] are 5 307, complimentary tickets 3 000, which leaves 41 000 that went on sale. According to the preliminary report provided to the PSL, tickets were sold out within 90 minutes.' The veteran SMSA CEO went on to explain that the moment ticket sales surpassed the 41 000 mark, it triggered a system glitch – leading to the overselling issue that has now cast a shadow over the event's ticketing process. 'That caused a delay, a glitch or call it whatever you want, but the fact is the tickets went on sale and the system allowed more people to make payments than there is capacity for.' Computicket stopped the platform from issuing physical tickets, but the transactions still went through. At retail outlets, 4 966 tickets were sold and issued across the country. 'Digital tickets on the Open Tickets website, 2 435 [were sold]; and on the Computicket website, 44 121 tickets were sold. That immediately tells you there's over-issuing of tickets. 'Of the outlet sales, 33% went to KwaZulu-Natal, 35% went to Gauteng and 8% Mpumalanga. The Open Ticket and Computicket online sales combined in KZN were 39%, Gauteng 32% and Mpumalanga 12%.' Grobbelaar revealed that over 10 000 tickets were mistakenly sold after the official allocation had already sold out – and all affected individuals will be refunded in full. 'All people who paid for the tickets to the capacity of the stadium have received their tickets – hard copy or digital – via different platforms. 'Of the people who paid but cannot be allocated tickets, 80%, as we speak here, of those bought online, we have refunded. 'The other 20% are people who paid via EFT or other form of payment platform. They all received messages that upon receipt of their banking details they will be refunded.' Saturday's final kicks off at 15:30, and the PSL has urged fans to arrive early, following last week's 30-minute delay at FNB Stadium during the league Soweto derby between these two iconic rivals.
The Citizen
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
PSL insist no extra tickets have been sold for Nedbank final
'No more tickets were issued than the capacity allows for,' said Bertie Grobbelaar. Bertie Grobbelaar says only the allocated amount of tickets have been issued for the Nedbank Cup final. Picture: Phakamisa Lensman/BackpagePix The Premier Soccer League said on Wednesday that only the correct amount of tickets have been issued for Saturday's Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. ALSO READ: Pirates' Riveiro – the club knows what they are doing The PSL statement comes after the company responsible for ticketing, Open Tickets, had acknowledged there had been issues with their ticketing system when sales opened on Monday. PSL – No extra tickets Speaking on behalf of the PSL, Stadium Management SA managing director Bertie Grobbelaar said that while a crash in the ticketing system meant fans without tickets had also been charged, no extra tickets had been issued. He added that all fans who paid for tickets but did not receive them would be refunded. 'The capacity of the stadium is 49 307 seats. This is a reduced capacity, in terms of a proper grading certificate and compliance with the SASRIA Act,' said Grobbelaar. 'There were 5307 hospitality tickets and 3000 complimentary tickets. 41 000 general access tickets went on sale. The minute ticket sales opened they sold out in 90 minutes. 'This caused a delay, or crash, call it what you want. The fact is tickets went on sale and the system allowed more people to pay for tickets than there was capacity for. 'This immediately raises concerns and a lot of false information went out that too many people had been issued tickets. This was not the case. 'No more tickets were issued than the capacity allows for.' Open Tickets had already issued an apology this week for the problems with their system. 'An unprecedented surge in demand caused system delays shortly after sales opened on Monday, 5 May 2025,' read a statement. 'We understand the frustration this has caused, and we are urgently working to resolve the matter. A full report will be submitted to the PSL. 'Affected customers will receive direct communication regarding ticket status, digital reissues, or refunds where applicable.' 'We remain committed to resolving the issue and restoring full service as quickly as possible. Further updates will be shared via our official platforms.' No chance of final moving Grobbelaar also pointed out that Open Tickets were also used for last weekend's Betway Premiership Soweto derby at FNB Stadium, without these issues. ALSO READ: OPINION – Moses Mabhida deserves the Soweto derby PSL CEO Mato Madlala, meanwhile, said there was no way the game will be moved to FNB Stadium, which usually hosts the derby and has a far larger capacity. 'It doesn't matter where we take it (the derby). Demand always outlasts supply,' said Madlala. Fans without tickets are also asked to stay away from the venue on Saturday.
