Latest news with #PhumeleleMakoba
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.
IOL News
09-05-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Nedbank Cup Final: KwaZulu-Natal police dismiss looting rumours ahead of Moses Mabhida showdown
Police in KwaZulu-Natal have dispelled social media fears of looting at the Nedbank Cup Final, assuring fans that ticketing issues are under control and safety measures are in place. Police in KwaZulu-Natal have rubbished social media reports of possible looting at this weekend's Nedbank Cup Final taking place at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. Speaking at a media briefing on Friday, deputy provincial commissioner Major General Phumelele Makoba, said police investigated ticketing concerns to ensure no overselling occurred, as misinformation on social media had raised fears of potential stampedes and unrest. She added that all event protocols including risk categorisation was done and police have finalised the event safety plan. However, the road to the final has not been without bumps.
