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Johannesburg- Premier Soccer League (PSL) interim CEO Mato Madlala has admitted that dealing with hooligans at stadiums in recent league matches has been the biggest challenge she has faced since taking over the hot seat in December last year.
The South African football fraternity witnessed over-the-top crowd behaviour in the match between Orlando Pirates and Bloemfontein Celtic last month and then again from Kaizer Chiefs supporters at FNB stadium on Tuesday when they began throwing obstacles at head coach, Steve Komphela, following their shocking 1-0 loss to Jomo Cosmos.
Madlala has urged the domestic football body to impose heavy sanctions on the culprits, citing that the hooligans must take into account that we all deal with various frustrations daily.
"The environment in the PSL office is workable and I can’t say that the position is easy or difficult but it’s manageable," said Madlala.
"But the biggest challenge I have encountered so far is the hooligans at the stadiums.
"That’s what is spoiling the beautiful game and we need to get rid of the hooligans.
"Yes, we all have frustrations as well and when they act the way they did recently it’s like they are the only ones who feel for the team's defeats.
"But they also forget that there are people who put money and time into this.
"We do appreciate their support because there can’t be soccer without them at the stadiums, but they must not go and behave like that at the stadiums.
"Some people take families to stadiums and everyone must feel safe watching the game."
The Lamontville Golden Arrows chairperson also revealed that the investigations from the PSL and the South African Police Service (SAPS) are at an advance stage and she hoped for swift arrests to be made.
"The investigations are at the moment and we are following that with the SAPS," said Madlala.
"So its parallel processes that are going ahead, it’s with the league and SAPS, we are following it up.
"And hopefully we’ll get the culprits."
