PSL likely to hold hearing into Loftus crowd violence four months after the incident

The Premier Soccer League’s (PSL) disciplinary committee will hold its hearing of Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates – charged over an ugly pitch invasion in February – in June.

The head of the PSL's legal division‚ Michael Murphy‚ said plans were to hold the trial in early June‚ but that the availability of an expert who prosecutor Nande Becker wants to call might not make that possible.

Murphy struggled to explain why a matter that is now three months old has not been resolved.

The PSL’s legal head said a convoluted process of assembling evidence‚ and also of ensuring that systems are improved in the league’s security manuals‚ have been the reason.

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Murphy was at pains to deny public perception that the PSL has dragged its feet on the DC because it involves Pirates‚ whose chairman‚ Irvin Khoza‚ is also chairman of the PSL.

“It’s drivel. It’s completely unfair‚” Murphy said on Tuesday.

“If these clubs lose (in the DC) in the context of something as serious as this‚ they are facing at best for them a massive fine.

“And we now have top guys on that disciplinary committee. So for those clubs this is a very serious issue.

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“We all‚ I think‚ have got a responsibility to start looking at that the country seems to be becoming more violent.

"And we need to find a way to address this.

“And the DC should be the smallest part of it. People should be asking bigger questions like‚ ‘What really are we doing (to improve security)?’

“And yes‚ of course part of that can be saying to the prosecutor‚ ‘Why is there a delay‚ when will we see a result?’

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“But to be frank‚ that result will not stop violence at football matches.”

Murphy added: “Both clubs have requested certain information. Both are represented. The charges went out. Information was requested. Answers were given by the prosecutor (regarding technicalities).

“Then a pre-hearing conference was arranged‚ the purpose of which is to find out how do you get this evidence in‚ can you show video evidence‚ and so on.”

Pirates fans were the first to invade the pitch‚ following Percy Tau’s 82nd-minute sixth goal for Sundowns in a humiliating 6-0 Absa Premiership thrashing at Loftus Versfeld on February 11.

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Players and benches sprinted for the safety of the change-rooms as Sundowns fans streamed on in response‚ ugly fighting broke out‚ an SA Police Services armoured vehicle entered the field‚ and stun grenades and teargas were fired.

Murphy said his responsibility has been not just the DC‚ but‚ because Sasrea (the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act of 2010) is obscure in terms of allocating responsibility‚ the PSL has been doing work on tightening up its security manuals.

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“We want to do a lot of work on that to make it very clear who precisely must do what‚” he said. Murphy added: “There’s this focus from the media and public on the DC.

"For me‚ personally‚ safety at events is a lot more serious than that‚ there’s a lot more work in it.

“We have been trying to simplify manuals. A lot of it’s down to me to try and fix up these manuals‚ hopefully get to the end of the season without more things like that happening‚ improve these things‚ improve training.

“And make sure that by the coming season everything is taken much more seriously than just a DC.”

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport