Ethekwini Assures Incident-Free Nedbank Cup Final
The leadership of the eThekwini Municipality has assured the public that the Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday will proceed without incident.
However, there is palpable frustration among fans who flocked to supermarkets across Durban in large numbers to purchase tickets when they went on sale on Monday at 10:00 AM, only to find that the ticketing system had crashed.
Open Tickets, the officially approved vendor for ticket sales, acknowledged on Tuesday that fans experienced disruptions due to an unprecedented surge in demand, which caused delays shortly after sales commenced on Monday.
Currently, the number of tickets sold and the remaining availability for the public are unknown, as the Premier Soccer League (PSL) has not yet indicated whether Open Tickets has resolved the system issues.
Nevertheless, the Durban Municipality has affirmed that all systems are go for Moses Mabhida Stadium to host the Nedbank Cup Final this weekend.
The stadium gates will open at 11:30 AM, with the kick-off scheduled for 3:30 PM.
“This is not the first Soweto derby the city has successfully hosted in recent years,” Ethekwini municipality stated.
“An integrated safety and security plan encompassing all law enforcement agencies has been developed to ensure that spectators in and around the stadium are safe.
“Police will maintain high visibility on the roads as well as in various places of entertainment.”
Dr. Vusi Mazibuko, Head of the City’s Stadia and Facilities Unit, stated that the stadium is prepared to accommodate the anticipated thousands of football enthusiasts.
He emphasized that Moses Mabhida Stadium is renowned for hosting significant, high-profile events that positively impact the local economy.
“The stadium has successfully hosted several major events without any challenges. Successfully hosting such large events helps promote a positive image of the city and boosts tourism,” he added.
Addressing the ongoing infrastructure upgrades, which began late last year, Dr. Mazibuko clarified that they do not negatively affect stadium operations or safety.
“The stadium is structurally sound and continues to host major events while repairs and maintenance are underway. The upgrades and maintenance run concurrently with events,” said Mazibuko, adding that the stadium has hosted other football matches and music festivals during the revamp stage, which were all incident-free.”
EThekwini Mayor Councillor Cyril Xaba expressed optimism and confidence that the city will deliver a spectacular final.
“This will not be the first game hosted at the Moses Mabhida Stadium where the two Soweto giants face off. We have never disappointed fans, and we want to reassure spectators attending this match that we will deliver a safe and memorable cup final,” said Mayor Xaba.
Moses Mabhida Stadium has hosted the most cup finals, and this Nedbank Cup Derby will be the 18th such event held there post the 2010 FIFA World Cup, including the MTN8 final between Pirates and Chiefs in 2014.
Despite the 2010 World Cup stadium undergoing significant refurbishment, Pirates played a match on Tuesday, defeating Golden Arrows 2-1 in the Betway Premiership.
