Next month’s Soweto derby at FNB Stadium has been moved by a day to avoid potential chaos in the Nasrec precinct because of a music concert scheduled for April 25.
Hosts Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs both confirmed the match would now take place on Sunday April 26, as revealed by Sowetan earlier. The match will kick off at 3pm.
Originally billed for April 25, the derby date clashed with the Ultra Music Festival featuring international acts and attracting over 20,000 people.
The event, for which tickets sell for R1,195 to R6,500, was apparently booked more than a year ago and will take place at Nasrec Expo Centre on April 25, with another set for Cape Town the following day.
The derby, meanwhile, was set to kick off at 3pm on the same day at the nearby FNB Stadium, and authorities swiftly moved to the alternative date to avoid potential chaos.
Earlier, Sowetan was told there were talks to play the derby on Sunday, April 26, and this would be feasible because the following day is the Freedom Day public holiday.
But Stadium Management SA (SMSA) CEO Bertie Grobbelaar would not confirm if the derby, which will be hosted by Orlando Pirates, would be shifted to accommodate the Ultra event. “I don’t know,” he responded when asked if the match would be moved to April 26.
We have a meeting on Friday with both event organisers to discuss [whether the derby can be moved to a different date or venue].
— Bertie Grobbelaar, Stadium Management SA CEO
Instead, he emphasised a way forward would be clearer only after a meeting with stakeholders, taking place tomorrow. “We have a meeting on Friday with both event organisers to discuss exactly that. We became aware of the other event after seeing marketing and advertising fliers. It seems both events were approved and categorised by SAPS.”
A situation where two major events take place in the same vicinity would only add to frustration among football fans, who experienced appalling traffic congestion at last month’s derby, when Pirates pummelled Kaizer Chiefs 3-0.
Officials battled with traffic control so much that some fans entered the stadium only after halftime, while many others abandoned their cars and opted to walk. SMSA implemented a new ticketing system which added to the chaos, and, as a result, there were suggestions the stadium was once again over capacity.
Moving the match to the following day was the most logical solution, and both Pirates and Chiefs confirmed the change, even though Amakhosi are set to face Siwelele on April 28. That match is now almost certain to be moved to April 29.
Sowetan had been told other venues such as Moses Mabhida Stadium could be explored, but Chiefs already use the Durban stadium as an alternative home venue, something which would have triggered misgivings in Pirates’ ranks.
Pirates announced on their social media pages the game would take place on April 26, but there was no ticketing information.
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