Ajax fear lives could be in danger if Saturday's game against Chiefs goes ahead at Athlone

Ajax Cape Town are seeking a postponement of Saturday’s Premier Soccer League clash with top-of-the-table Kaizer Chiefs because of concerns over safety‚ the club chairman Ari Efstathiou said on Tuesday.

With the Cape Town Stadium unavailable and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) refusing to allow the game to be moved to Moses Mabhida Stadium‚ Ajax are left only with the Athlone Stadium for the night match.

But they are concerned that the 21‚ 500 capacity will be too small and that lives could be in danger if the game goes ahead.

Two meetings with police and traffic officials have agreed that it would be unsafe to go ahead with the match but a letter from the Western Cape police to that effect is yet to written.

PSL officials are refusing to grant a postponement unless police officially state in writing they feel that going ahead with the game is dangerous.

The Cape Town Stadium is unavailable because of a musical festival but Chiefs’ last two visits to the venue have seen crowds averaging 35 000.

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“But for Athlone we can only have 21 500 spectators and with complimentary tickets and other sundries it means we can only sell 17 800 to the public‚" Efstathiou said.

"This is problematic because this is a high demand fixture. We need to add that Chiefs are currently top of the log‚ it’s the end of the month and a Saturday night game‚ so we are expecting demand far exceeding 21 500.

"We expect there will be many who turn up without tickets making security difficult‚” Efstathiou told a press conference at the club.

“But the PSL are insisting that the game must be played. At the first meeting with police last week it was agreed not to hold the game but a second meeting was insisted on and this also agreed that it would not be safe.

“But the police commissioner has been instructed from national headquarters to hold a third meeting which is tomorrow (Wednesday) to reconsider.

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"The police are also stretched because of the event at the Cape Town Stadium and the rugby at Newlands (The Stormers play the Bulls at the start of the new Super Rugby season).

“In the meantime we are unable to sell tickets until we know if the game is going ahead or not‚” the Ajax boss explained.

“We have tried since October to find a solution but we were not allowed to go to Moses Mabhida. Chiefs have not agreed to our request for a postponement either.”

“If we are forced to go ahead with the game we face being liable for any problems that occur.

"The police have only 80 members who are available to handle matters outside and we have a security contingent of 400 inside the stadium. Obviously we are extremely concerned.”

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Efstathiou said he had been in almost daily contact with PSL chief executive officer Mato Madlala but she had told him she could not make a decision without a police report.

It is expected a final decision will be made on Wednesday.

Madlala and PSL spokesman Lux September could not be reached comment on Tuesday afternoon.

 - TMG Digital