The Centre Court Jurist

In this article the Centre Court considers safety at sports events in South Africa . We look at the increase in hooliganism at sports (especially football) events, measures that associations or federations normally take to curb such conduct and statutory measures that are arguably more effective in dealing with hooligans or criminals at sports events. 1 - Lest we forget. On 13 January 1991, 42 football lovers lost their lives at the Oppenheimer Stadium in Orkney at a football match between Orlando Pirates Football Club (“Orlando Pirates”) and Kaizer Chiefs Football Club (“Kaizer Chiefs”). The tragedy is known as the Orkney Disaster . The next tragedy of similar magnitude was the Ellis Park Disaster on 11 April 2001 where 43 people lost their lives at another match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at Ellis Park Stadium.  The Commission of Inquiry into the Ellis Park Stadium Soccer Disaster of 11 2001 (commonly referred to as the Ngoepe Commission of Inquiry) was