The Nedbank Cup semi-final match between Kaizer Chiefs and Free State Stars was memorable for all the wrong reasons.
The Kaizer Chiefs fans invaded the stadium after their team lost 2-0 to Free State Stars in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup on Saturday evening at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
The fans of the ‘Glamour Boys’ invaded the pitch and proceeded to destroy camera equipment, parts of the stadium and most disturbingly, attacked innocent security guards who were on the field.
At some point during the rampage, four men kicked and hit a security guard with a chair even after the security guard had collapsed to the ground.
Initially, it was claimed the security guard was a woman, but it has now emerged it was a man.
Eighteen men were injured on Saturday, of which five were taken to hospital for treatment before being discharged.
The incident comes on the back of the Premier Soccer League Disciplinary Committee fining Kaizer Chiefs for spectator misbehaviour resulting from the club’s failure to provide adequate security.
This after Kaizer Chiefs supporters threw objects onto the pitch after their Absa Premiership fixture against Chippa United on April 7 at the FNB Stadium in Johannesburg.
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The club was found guilty on April 19 of misconduct.
The disciplinary committee has sanctioned Kaizer Chiefs with a fine of R250 000, of which R200 000 was suspended for 24 months on condition they are not found guilty of a similar offence during that period.
Of course, the football club is now guilty of a similar offense.
The fact is, Kaizer Chiefs needs to be punished in the harshest possible way.
Their fans need to know that such behaviour will not be tolerated.
Now is the opportune time for the Premier Soccer League (PSL) to demonstrate that they are serious about curbing the growing violence and bad crowd behaviour that has plagued the league in recent times.
Kaizer Chiefs fans must feel the brunt of their actions.
If I were the PSL, I would make Kaizer Chiefs play all their matches behind closed doors.
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It may seem harsh, but Chiefs fans need to know that their behaviour will not be tolerated.
There are ways to show your displeasure with your team.
Look at Arsenal fans, they are so fed up with Arsene Wenger and their team’s performance that they have just stayed away from the stadium.
Losing is a part of sport, hooliganism is not.
The men who were captured on camera attacking the security guards should be arrested and dealt with accordingly.
There is a monetary reward for information that leads to the arrest of all four men who attacked the security gaurd.
If we as a country are serious about becoming a world-class sporting destination, then incidents like this cannot go on any longer.
Fans need to be disciplined, whether their teams are winning or losing.
The PSL chairman, Irvin Khoza, held a press conference on Monday where it was announced that Kaizer Chiefs will face a disciplinary hearing on May 3.
Let’s hope the sentence handed down to Chiefs fits the crime.
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