The South African Football Association (SAFA) will take strong actions against KZN ABC Motsepe League side UMsinga FC once they have a full report of what happened, said president Danny Jordaan.
The decision will be taken when SAFA NEC, the highest body that makes decisions for South Africa’s mother body, will meet on Saturday.
The incident took place during the national ABC Motsepe League play-offs at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg on Friday after UMsinga FC was eliminated in the semi-final by North West province side Orbit College.
It resulted in UMsinga “supporters” breaking a fence and storming the pitch, before gun shots were heard, even though Jordaan insisted the shots were in the air and not directed at people.
“We have sent off our security personnel from the head office to get the full report,” said Jordaan during his visit to the late Clive Barker’s family on Monday in Durban, having attended the play-off final on Sunday.
“The report will go to the NEC of SAFA on Saturday and we will make a decision then. But let me just say this, what happened is totally out of order, it is rejected, it should be condemned and the perpetrators and security personnel must be dealt with harsher punishment.
“But we must have a report first. I was at the match on Sunday also at Harry Gwala Stadium, we strengthened the security from the gate and the fans enjoyed themselves and there was no single incident.
“But my point is that kind of conduct is not allowed in football stadiums.”
Just two days later, there was another shooting incident in Cape Town where former Steenberg FC and Royal AM coach Mike Lukhubeni was sadly shot dead on Sunday.
“The one in Cape Town, it didn’t happen in the match, it happened after the match,” said Jordaan.
“Some reports that we are getting said it has to do with matters that had nothing to do with football. Unfortunately there are so many social problems in Cape Town relating to drugs and gangs. But that is the police for further investigation.
“But again, our society and perpetrators of such crimes must be dealt with. Our society is taking a position that it is too easy to take a gun and shoot, and remove individuals from the society.
“It is either a businessman or a politician or football coach, it must be condemned and that is why we asked ‘please show us that there is a full investigation in this matter and the perpetrators must be brought to books’.
“But that is the information that we received from people in Cape Town.”
Umsinga United Football Club will now pay a fine to the South African Football Association for the way their fans reacted or if the do not pay the will be banned from the ABC Motsepe League.
