Families left to mark Ellis Park disaster on their own
Death of 43 supporters is one of a number of tragic events at soccer stadiums, says PSL chair Irvin Khosa
Premier Soccer League (PSL) chair Irvin Khoza has confirmed that the league has not planned anything significant to mark Thursday’s 18th anniversary of the Ellis Park disaster. Forty-three supporters died and more than 150 were injured in crushes at Ellis Park on April 11 2001 during a Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs‚ as people poured into a stadium that was already filled to capacity. It was SA’s biggest stadium disaster. In the Orkney disaster of 1991‚ 42 supporters died as a result of an overfull Oppenheimer Stadium‚ where a crowd of 30‚000 was present but the ground had a capacity of 23‚000 at a preseason friendly between Chiefs and Pirates. “There was a press conference that was held at the stadium some time back where we made a commitment to give the families some space to grieve‚” Khoza said. “The Ellis Park disaster is an emotional one and we have not abandoned it, but we did make a statement that we have done our part and that we did not give the fa...
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