Durban - The selling of fake tickets at sport matches endangered the lives of spectators, said AmaZulu FC, referring to four people who were arrested on Sunday.
The team were also speaking in light of the stampede at FNB Stadium in Joburg last year that killed two people, when Kaizer Chiefs played Orlando Pirates in the Carling Black Label Cup. It is alleged that the stampede stemmed from the selling of fake tickets.
On Sunday, police arrested four people with at least 300 tickets and R6 000.
Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Thulani Zwane confirmed the arrests, saying the men were between the ages of 20 and 46.
They were charged with fraud and were expected to appear in the uMlazi Magistrate’s Court.
According to Brilliant Mkhathini, AmaZulu FC’s media officer, the arrested men also had midweek match and music concert tickets. The police worked with marshals and security to arrest the men.
“It appears they are dealing in KwaZulu-Natal because they had tickets to Golden Arrows and Maritzburg United matches,” Mkhathini said.
He added that all tickets were sold for R40, and that when people bought fake tickets it represented a loss of income for legitimate sellers. The practice was also a threat to lives.
“The stadium takes 15 000 people. You don’t want over-capacity. We don’t want to lose lives over the selling of fake tickets,” he said. The Premier Soccer League (PSL) also warned people against buying fake tickets, and called for those involved to be brought to book.
PSL spokesperson Luxolo September said the league was working with the police to prioritise cases concerning the sale of fake tickets and scalping.
“The sale of fake tickets is a major problem. It is bad for the sport, it is bad for safety,” September said.
“By working with the police, we are now seeing a number of arrests at stadiums.
“This season alone, we have had at least two incidents in which people have been arrested in connection with selling fake tickets, but we have to intensify the fight because it is clear we are dealing with a syndicate,” he said.