Over the weekend, a significant incident occurred during the much-anticipated Soweto Derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, leaving many fans frustrated.

Despite holding legitimate tickets, some supporters were unable to enter the FNB Stadium, sparking a wave of complaints on social media.

In response to the situation, Gayton McKenzie, the Minister of Sport, Art, and Recreation, has publicly apologized to the affected fans.

Fans Left Out Despite Having Tickets

The Soweto Derby is one of South Africa’s biggest football events, and the game was sold out at the 95,000-seat FNB Stadium.

Orlando Pirates triumphed with a 1-0 victory over Kaizer Chiefs, but the excitement was marred for some ticket holders who were left outside, unable to attend the match.

Minister Gayton McKenzie, a notable figure in South African sport, attended the game himself and shared a post on X (formerly Twitter), expressing his admiration for both teams.

However, the celebrations quickly turned to disappointment for some fans, who took to social media to share their frustrations about being denied entry despite having valid tickets.

One fan tweeted, “Some of us bought tickets and we were not allowed to enter the stadium because it was somehow full.

Full kanjani while my ticket was not scanned?” Others shared similar experiences, explaining that the stadium management closed the gates once the stadium reached capacity, resulting in ticket holders being denied entry while others, without tickets, occupied their seats.

Gayton McKenzie Responds with Apology

Gayton McKenzie took to social media to respond directly to the affected fans.

Acknowledging the frustration, he explained that he was part of a meeting where it was decided to close the gates due to the stadium reaching full capacity.

The decision was made in fear of a possible stampede, which he admitted was concerning.

“I’m equally curious as to how this happened,” McKenzie wrote in his tweet.

“We are meeting next week to get a better understanding of how this even happened when people like yourself had tickets but couldn’t get in. Apologies.”

The minister promised to address the situation further and find a resolution.

A Crackdown on Fake Tickets

In the aftermath of the event, McKenzie also addressed the issue of fake tickets, which seemed to have contributed to the chaos at the stadium.

He vowed to take stronger action against the sale of fraudulent tickets and stressed the importance of adhering to seating allocations.

McKenzie called the issue “beyond urgent,” pointing out that it is a recurring problem that needs immediate attention.

FNB Stadium’s COO, Bertie Grobbelaar, also spoke out about the issue, warning fans to be cautious of fake tickets, especially for high-profile events like the Soweto Derby.

Grobbelaar urged supporters to only purchase tickets from official channels like TicketPro to avoid falling victim to ticket scams.

This article was published on TDPel Media. Thanks for reading!

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