Johannesburg – Saturday morning, the prosecutor for the Premier Soccer League (PSL), Zola Majavu, stated that Kaizer Chiefs would appear before the Disciplinary Committee on September 8.
Although Chiefs were the away team during their MTN8 quarterfinal encounter against Stellenbosch on August 28 at the Danie Craven Stadium in the Winelands, they were charged with pitch invasion.
According to accessible video footage of the stadium’s events, several of the disruptive spectators wore Chiefs’ colors. This may be the reason why the visiting club and not the host team Stellenbosch has been charged. Typically, the host team is blamed for disruptive fan behavior.
At one point during the match, when supporters flooded the field, Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune assisted with security by pleading with the crowd to leave the field. Khune is the most popular Chiefs player of the current age, and when he waved back, crowds withdrew.
However, after the game, hundreds of Chiefs supporters could not control their exuberance and flooded the field. Khune stopped two penalty kicks in the shootout, allowing Chiefs to win 4-3 on penalties and progress to the semifinals.
The PSL ensures the safety of all games. It has long been standard practice to inspect locations in advance. Occasionally, PSL sites have been deemed unfit for a specific match, and it has been changed for different reasons.
The PSL also prohibits spectators from running onto the field after matches, yet last week security stood by as people poured onto the field. Some of the fence around the playing field was woefully insufficient, and supporters easily breached it.
The pitch invasions imperil lives, and Stellenbosch FC CEO Rob Benadie remarked in a post-game statement that he was pleased no one was injured amid the commotion.
Perhaps the moment has come to hold the PSL responsible for inadequate security measures. Chiefs and Stellenbosch might file a complaint against the PSL for failing to provide enough protection at Danie Craven Stadium.