20 Years On: Kaizer Chiefs remember the Ellis Park disaster

On April 11, 2001, an event that is usually South Africa’s greatest celebration of its local football, the Soweto derby, turned to tragedy as 43 Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates supporters lost their lives in a crowd stampede at Ellis Park.

The Ellis Park disaster, as it has become known, was 20 years ago to the day on Sunday, and Kaizer Chiefs’ chairman Kaizer Motaung, as well as members of the coaching and playing staff from that time, have shared their memories of a day forever etched as a scar on the soul of the beautiful game in Mzansi.

South African rescue services work around victims of a stampede Ellis Park in Johannesburg on 11 April 2001. 43 people died in the stampede, which happened when a crowd tried to enter the overcrowded stadium to attend a soccer match between Kaizer chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Picture: Gallo Images/City Press Archives.

Kaizer Motaung (Kaizer Chiefs chairman)

People had gathered to come and witness a beautiful game of football … all expectations were very high for this game. It was a beautiful evening and all was going well. Once the game started, where I was seated, I could see there was some commotion taking place in one part of the stadium, that corner, and it ultimately resulted in the stoppage of the match.

Security called on the board to come and attend to the situation, where there was a stampede as a result of people trying to force their way into the stadium. It is very sad that this beautiful day turned out to be a very sad day … many people died and many were injured and those of us who were there will always remember this day …. this was a very dark day for South African football, but … as football we have learned a lot of lessons from this unfortunate occurrence.

A lot of things had to change to make sure in future we didn’t experience an event of this nature again.

This day belongs to the bereaved families and those that got injured, we wish them strength.

Muhsin Ertugral (Chiefs head coach on the day)

It is terrifying to remember and a heartbreaking memory for all of us. What happened on that night, nobody ever expected that such a tragedy could happen. We felt in the week how much this game meant to the people. I remember warming up, walking to the pitch and saying to Steve Komphela that I had never seen such a crowd in the stadium so early.

Until today, I can see the eyes of the players, they didn’t know what had happened. Sitting on the bench I just remember Brian Baloyi (the Chiefs goalkeeper) waving his hands and the fourth official came to the bench and explained the tragedy and that we have to stop the game. It really hit me after … when we went up to the presidential suite and saw this little boy holding the hand of the chairman (Kaizer Motaung) – he had lost his brother and father.

It was heartbreaking for us and we could not get back to life as normal. Hopefully it will not happen again and to all the lives lost, may their souls Rest in Peace.

A young boy cries in the aftermath of the stampede which claimed the life of an adult, presumably his father.
Picture: Gavin Barker/Gallo Images

Ace Khuse (Chiefs assistant coach on the day)

We knew the game was delayed, we were told 15 minutes and then another 15 minutes, and we asked ourselves ‘what is happening?’. All of a sudden we heard screams in the dressing room and one of the security guys went to check. He talked to the coach, because the coach didn’t want the players to know what was happening. He said it was bad, that people were outside, people were dying in a stampede. It was a sad day that we will never forget. As officials allowed us to go outside and see what was going on, you could see people ‘sleeping’ on the ground next to the stadium, and people were saying ‘those people are dead’. It was so painful. The players sensed something was happening, they were also scared. You have families coming to watch you play and all of a sudden people are dead. To the families of those who passed on, we are sorry it happened, and we have belief that the word of God is saying one day you will see them again.

Patrick Mabedi (Chiefs captain on the day)

Before the game we went to check the field and the crowd was amazing. We saw a lot of people coming in. The vibe was amazing and I think that made people outside excited, and that they tried to get in and force themselves in to make sure they were a part of it as well. By doing that they ended up pushing and when they fell down, they stepped on each other to try and get in. When the game was stopped after a few minutes, we heard some people had lost their lives. It was sad and shocked all of us, as we went their to entertain people … it was so sad, I just want to send condolences to all those people who lose loved ones. May their souls Rest in Peace, we will always love them.

Jonty Mark