The South African Football Association has insisted they have nothing to do with local football fans not being allowed back in football stadiums.
South African football fans will embark on a protest ahead of the upcoming Soweto Derby to ask the Premier Soccer League and the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture to finally open our stadiums.
Fans – under the auspices fo the National Football Supporters’ Association – have not been allowed to watch league games in the stands since March 2021, when South Africa was hit by the first wave of COVIC-19.
SAFA had tested allowing vaccinated fans back at the stadium for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, while the PSL allowed viewers into Moses Mabhida Stadium for the MTN8 final – even most of the tickets available were given to partners and sponsors – but there has been no update since.
SAFA’s COO Lydia Monyepao has now revealed that the shoe is in the PSL’s court because they – similar to SAFA – need to apply for the government for fans to be allowed in.
“The PSL, just like us, have to apply to the minister of sports for the return of fans. We, as Safa, should not be doing that on their behalf. So we have nothing to do with this,” she told The Sowetan.
“You saw we opened for fans in Bafana Bafana games.”
Football fans are getting frustrated by the fact that other sports codes such as rugby have allowed fans back into the stadiums, but there seems to be an unwillingness from the PSL leadership to follow suit even though the country moved to adjusted level 1 of lockdown in January.
“It’s very concerning and frustrating that the PSL is the only sports sector which doesn’t want to take even those 2,000 fans,” NAFSA acting CEO Siyabulela Loyilane told The Sowetan.
“Rugby fans are now allowed. It’s just heartbreaking because every country in the world now allows fans in the stadiums, it’s only us. PSL should be putting the 2,000-fan regulation into use to see what works and what doesn’t.
“We urge all the people who love football to join the march on March 5. It will be a peaceful march. We want the PSL and sports ministry to see we really want to watch football live like before.”
