Security guards and police raced to pull toddlers to safety as their parents were crushed in a stampede at a massive World Cup street party in Cape Town yesterday.
Some people were left shocked and with minor injuries as crowds surged to get into the free concert - already packed with 25000 revellers - at the city's Fan Fest on the Grand Parade yesterday.
International R&B star R Kelly, local pop sensation Locnville, JR and a host of other South African entertainers took to the stage.
Ian Bredenkamp, programming manager for Cape Town radio station 94.5 KFM, was traumatised by the stampede.
The station's outside broadcasting truck was set up about 10m from an entrance when security personnel carried several crying children to the truck.
"There were about six or seven kids. The youngest was about a year old. I picked her up and she was so afraid. I asked what was wrong and the guards said they had lost their mothers and fathers," he said.
"Suddenly we heard screaming and people were trying to push their way from Adderley Street towards the Grand Parade. The parents were being crushed and the guards managed to save the children."
People broke through the barricade and the police, arm-ed with Perspex riot shields, battled to control the mob.
"When that happened, we got scared. I couldn't see any blood but I did see about five or six people transported by para-medics," he said.
The event was billed as a "Cape Town Welcomes the World" party.
City spokesman Kylie Hatton said last night: "The crowd pushed to get into the festival area. One person was slightly injured when she was pushed. We had three other injuries, but this was not due to the stampede.
The Fan Fest has a capacity to accommodate 17000 people and the city planned to channel party-goers to Adderley Street, where three big screens had been erected.
But chaos erupted at the entrance after officials closed the gates when more than 25000 people had already entered.
Later, four rows of police with riot shields blocked the entrance. A group of about 30 people confronted them from behind barricades, protesting at being kept out.
The overflow crowd drifted into Adderley Street to watch the bands on giant screens.
The City also used new electronic billboards on highways to alert motorists that the party was full.
The children were finally reunited with their parents.
