The Ellis park Tragedy was Avoidable 
We need Efficient People-Centred Systems 
Full Compensation for Deceased Families and the Injured

12 April 2001

The South African Communist Party (SACP) is deeply shocked and saddened at the tragic death of more than 43 soccer fans and the injuring of tens more during a stampede in the league match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at the Ellis Park stadium last night.

We send our condolences to all the bereaved families. We believe that this tragedy was avoidable in so many ways. These include:

• It has been shown on previous occasions that the Ellis Park Stadium is too small for a match involving Pirates and Chiefs when we have the FNB stadium which is bigger and not in a built-up area.
• The Traffic Control System outside the stadium was far from efficient compared to the world class system used when there are rugby matches in the same Ellis Park Stadium.
• There were very few security and crowd control officers outside the stadium and in the pavilion itself. If they were enough and they were appropriately deployed, they could have detected problems early on.
• The system used for selling tickets is not efficient and people-centred. The system of selling tickets at the stadium on the day of big matches undermines the need for safe and continuos flow of people in the vicinity of the stadium.

Why is it that for soccer, the most popular sport followed by the majority of South Africa, we do not have efficient and people centred systems?

This question and many more point to the need for a massive improvement in how the Professional Soccer League hosts all its matches.

However, at this stage we are not apportioning blame on any organisation or individual. We therefore fully support the call by President Mbeki for a full enquiry into the tragedy so as to get into depth of the problems and ensure that we put in place efficient and people centred systems which will ensure that this tragedy does not occur again.

In true traditions of poor and working people's solidarity, the SACP calls on all its member, poor and working people and all South Africans to contribute to the Trust Fund to support the bereaved families and those injured. This is one step. Part of the enquiry must be to also ensure that all the bereaved families and all those injured get full remedies possible in terms of the law, including compensation.

CONTACT
Mazibuko K. Jara (surname Jara)
Department of Media, Information and Publicity South African Communist Party
Tel: 27 11 339-3621/2
Fax: 27 11 339-4244
Cell: 083 651 0271
Email: sacp1@wn.apc.org