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IOL News
10-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Increased police presence for Nedbank Cup Final amid ticketing turmoil
KwaZulu-Natal police have detained a man after he was found selling matchday tickets for the Nedbank Cup Final between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban. Image: Supplied KwaZulu-Natal SAPS intelligence officers are working to identify individuals who were posting inflammatory messages and recruiting others to stage protests near Moses Mabhida Stadium for the Nedbank Cup Final between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs after a ticketing mishap angered fans. This is according to Deputy Provincial Police Commissioner, Major General Phumelele Makoba, who was speaking at a state of readiness briefing at the stadium on Friday. After tickets went on sale on Monday, the Open Tickets platform crashed due to the volumes of people, and as a result, according to stadium management, more tickets were sold than the allowed capacity of just under 50 000. A soccer fan, who requested not to be named, said he purchased a ticket online on Monday and later emailed the ticket platform that day when his ticket was not issued. He said the service provider advised him that the ticket would be issued in the next few days. 'I thought I was going to get the ticket on Thursday, but then they told me that I needed to go and get a refund because the ticket system was oversold.' Makoba said police have noted a number of misinformation and inflammatory messages going around various social media platforms, with some people recruiting others to stage protests on routes and around the stadium, while others vowed to force their way inside the stadium without tickets. She said the SAPS do not take any threat lightly. 'Our intelligence officers are at work, identifying those individuals who are hellbent on creating chaos on the day of the match.' Makoba highlighted that intelligence on the ground alerted police to the anger and frustration of supporters. She said the planning team had to revise the operational plans, considering the potential threats as advised by the intelligence team. 'Those who have threatened to block certain roads are advised to reconsider that idea because closing of roads is a criminal offence and police will act accordingly,' she said. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. 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Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ According to Makoba, in addition to operations being beefed up on the ground, the police service's air capacity will play a major role in identifying areas of concern from the sky. 'The stadium precinct is practically our red zone, and no one without a valid matchday ticket must come closer to the stadium. Police will provide tighter security to ensure that only those with valid tickets access the stadium. 'Anyone who is found selling tickets, whether fake or authentic, will be arrested and locked up,' said Makoba. Provincial police spokesperson Colonel Robert Netshiunda said a man was detained on Saturday after he was found selling matchday tickets that were issued to sponsors. 'He was also found in possession of wristbands which were meant to be distributed to service providers. He will be processed accordingly,' he said. In addition, to beef up security in and around the stadium, certain routes which were going to be partially closed will now be fully closed, with plans in place not to cause heavy traffic congestion. 'As much as the attention will be at the stadium and the City of Durban, our operational plan goes beyond that, and our deployment plan was designed to deliver a safe and secure 2025 Nedbank Cup Final,' she said.
The South African
10-05-2025
- Sport
- The South African
Security tightened ahead of the Nedbank Cup final
KwaZulu-Natal police have stepped up preparations for Saturday's Nedbank Cup final between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs following fears of possible disruptions. Deputy Police Commissioner Phumelele Makoba confirmed that law enforcement is monitoring individuals suspected of planning to interfere with the match, after a chaotic ticketing situation earlier in the week. A technical glitch during online ticket sales on Monday led to a server crash and the overselling of more than 10 000 tickets. This pushed total sales beyond the Moses Mabhida Stadium's 51 000-seat capacity, sparking widespread frustration among fans and raising red flags for event safety. Furthermore, in response to the confusion, social media posts emerged calling for protests and encouraging supporters to force their way into the stadium. Makoba expressed concern about these messages and warned that authorities will not tolerate threats to public safety. 'We have noted a number of misinformation and inflammatory messages going around various social media platforms,' she said. 'Some people are recruiting others to stage a protest on our route and around the stadium, with others vowing to force their way into the stadium without tickets.' Makoba reminded the public that 'incitement of violence is a criminal offence,' and urged citizens to remain calm and respectful of the law. Police have since met with the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to address the situation and reinforce crowd control strategies. Makoba assured the public that many officers would be present in the Nedbank Cup final to maintain order inside and outside the stadium. 'No lawlessness will be tolerated,' she stressed. To address growing claims that KwaZulu-Natal fans had been overlooked during ticket distribution, Makoba clarified that a significant portion of the tickets went to local supporters. 'Over 33% of the tickets went to fans in KZN,' she confirmed, pushing back against online claims of bias. Let us know by leaving a comment below or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1. Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
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.
The Citizen
09-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
KZN police warn those ‘hellbent on creating chaos' at Soweto derby
The police warned that inciting violence or planning disruptions is a criminal offence. Members of the South African Police Service (Saps) at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on 28 October 2022. Picture: Gallo Images/Darren Stewart KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) police say they are intensifying efforts to identify individuals attempting to incite unrest ahead of the highly anticipated Soweto Derby in Durban this Saturday. Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs are set to face off in the Nedbank Cup final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. While the match is a sold-out affair, it has been overshadowed by issues with the ticketing system that led to an overselling of tickets. As a result, more than 10 000 fans were refunded, sparking frustration among supporters. Reports have since emerged of fans threatening to force their way into the stadium, which officially holds around 55 000 spectators. KZN police on Soweto derby preparations Addressing the media on Friday, KZN Deputy Police Commissioner Phumelele Makoba acknowledged concerns regarding the venue, particularly due to ongoing construction in and around the stadium. These were later addressed after construction authorities confirmed that the stadium is safe and fully prepared to accommodate fans in line with the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act. ALSO READ: Orlando Pirates – the road to the Nedbank Cup final 'All certification, including the most important one, the grading vertificate confirming the safety of the stadium and its readiness to cater for 51 000 capacity crowd, our fears were allayed,' Makoba told reporters. She also addressed the ticketing debacle. 'Ours as the police was to ascertain if there was any oversale of tickets because we were never prepared to plan for a stampede,' the provincial deputy commissioner remarked. Incitement of violence Makoba indicated that the police are aware of 'inflammatory messages' circulating on social media, including attempts to recruit others for protest actions near the stadium and threats to breach stadium security. She issued a stern warning to those inciting violence or planning disruptions, stating that such actions were a criminal offence. 'We do not take any threat lightly. Our intelligence officers are at work, identifying those individuals who are hellbent on creating chaos on the day of the match,' Makoba said, adding that 'no lawlessness will be tolerated'. READ MORE: Pirates coach Riveiro reveals game plan for Chiefs clash 'Those who have threatened to block certain roads are advised to reconsider that idea because closing of roads is a criminal offence and police will act accordingly.' Makoba said police operations have been significantly ramped up, including aerial surveillance to help identify any problem areas. She added that the precinct around the stadium is a red zone and 'no one without a valid matchday ticket must come closer to the stadium'. KZN police to tighten security at Soweto derby final Makoba further said that the police will be strictly monitoring ticket sales to maintain order. Additionally, any person found selling tickets, whether fake or authentic, will be arrested and locked up. She also cautioned fans not to bring prohibited items to the venue. 'Football lovers must make sure that they do not bring prohibited items like firearms, knives, bottles and all dangerous weapons. Possession of dangerous weapons is a criminal offence.' READ MORE: Pirates' Ncikazi shares views on Riveiro, says Chiefs are favourites to win final For those unable to attend the match, alternative arrangements have been made. Makoba confirmed that the eThekwini Municipality will provide public viewing areas, such Albert Park, for fans to watch Saturday's game. 'We urge those who could not get the tickets to make use of those facilities,' she said. Fans with valid tickets were encouraged to use the park-and-ride system to reduce congestion. Moreover, the provincial deputy commissioner indicated that routes that were initially set for partial closure will now be fully closed to enhance security in and around the stadium, with measures in place to minimise traffic congestion.
