By The South African Football Association (SAFA) has strongly condemned the violent incidents that took place during a play-off match in Pietermaritzburg. Orbit College secured promotion with a 1-0 victory over Umsinga United in the ABC Motsepe Playoffs semi-final, but trouble erupted after the game. Gunshots were fired and objects were thrown during a pitch invasion, leading to security forces firing shots into the air. SAFA President Danny Jordaan expressed his disapproval of the incident and emphasized the need for appropriate punishment.
The police are treating the case as attempted murder and are investigating the matter. The large number of people present in the stadium has made it challenging to identify those responsible for the gunshots. The incident has raised concerns among parents and cast a negative light on South Africa’s bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup. The Confederation of African Football, the governing body for football in Africa, has recently denounced a series of violent occurrences at stadiums across the continent.
Videos of the events surfaced on social media, revealing objects being hurled onto the field and a member of the stadium’s security operation firing shots over the heads of the pitch invaders. The Orbit coach expressed disappointment at the violence, highlighting the risks the players faced and calling for improved security measures in future tournaments. SAFA has requested a full report from the security and refereeing teams and has pledged to investigate the incident thoroughly, vowing to ban any individuals or clubs found guilty of such acts of hooliganism.
In a separate match earlier that day, Upington City secured their promotion spot, defeating Mpheni Home Defenders on penalties. The final between Upington and Orbit ended with a 3-1 victory for Upington. Both teams will compete in the Championship, South Africa’s second-tier football league, in the upcoming season.
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