Pitch invasion by soccer fans seems to be on the rise in South Africa whenever teams win, especially after cup games.
What occurred at Mbombela Stadium after the Wafa-Wafa MTN 8 Cup Final between Bidvest Wits and Mamelodi Sundowns last Saturday was uncalled for, to say the least.
As soccer lovers, especially those from the province of the rising sun who are ever-present during match days at stadiums, we should condemn such behaviour by the small faction of supporters who just decide to invade pitches for no reason.
It is not appropriate and should never be tolerated in football circles.
The post-match invasion that occurred after Wits humiliated Sundowns 3-0 marred an entertaining game, which was well attended by local fans, despite the rain.
The Premier Soccer League (PSL) still has to study the match commissioner’s report before making any decision regarding this issue.
I cannot be committal as to which club the supporters who invaded the pitch supported, but all I can say is that it was uncalled for.
If circulating rumours are true about several players being harassed during the pitch invasion, the PSL will need to come up with ways
to identify those culprits and mete out harsher punishments to them.
Previous pitch invasions have not only left clubs with hefty fines, but some fans have lost their lives due to this.
Who can forget the incident at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth last May when the then champions, Kaizer Chiefs, completed the season with a 2-0 victory against Chippa United?
A football supporter died in a scuffle with a policeman after the spectators flocked onto the pitch to celebrate the Amakhosi’s success.
Let such an incident not repeat itself at games.
