Vendors, pickpockets and rivalry all part of derby fiesta
THE Soweto derby between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs once again brought drama on and off the field.
On Friday, the day before the big match, vendor Emily Sekonyela of Freedom Park in Soweto boarded a taxi to the Johannesburg city centre to buy groceries in preparation for the game. On Saturday morning, Sekonyela was up at 4am to begin cooking.
Hours later, a taxi pulled up to her house loaded with tables, disposable plates and a gas cylinder headed for the stadium.
“It is a lot of hard work. I am always at the games because this is how I make a living. I travel as far as Durban and other places,” Sekonyela said.
Outside the stadium, supporters arrived in numbers – music and vuvuzelas blaring. Some even attested that soccer has divided family and friends.
Radio personality DJ Sbu, a Pirates fan, said: “I love how soccer has become a unifier in this country, sort of like how rugby has become as well for all races. But I know that when it ’ s time for the derby, I am going to be made fun of or I am going to make fun of some of my family members and friends. I sometimes fight with my friends who take it very personally.”
Although battle lines were drawn on Saturday, couples at the stadium insisted there wasn ’ t going to be any animosity after the match.
“We do not take it to heart. When we lose to Pirates, it hurts but we try not to affect our relationship,” said Nelly Mnguni, a Chiefs supporter. Her partner Ayanda Cele is a Pirates fan.
The derby also provided criminals with an opportunity to try their luck. Two men tried to pickpocket a Pirates fan, who grabbed one of them and unleashed a barrage of punches.
Once the game began, overzealous fans who were seated behind television camera operators demanded the attention of the cameras. This led to missiles being thrown between them and supporters who were seated behind them.