Former Orlando Pirate fan Mama Joy denied entry into Orlando Stadium

File - Mama Joy Chauke at Orlando stadium, Soweto. Picture: Karen Sandison/African News Agency (ANA)

File - Mama Joy Chauke at Orlando stadium, Soweto. Picture: Karen Sandison/African News Agency (ANA)

Published May 4, 2023

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Johannesburg - Former Orlando Pirates number one fan, Mama Joy Chauke has accused Orlando Pirates officials of attempting to prevent her from attending an Orlando Pirate match at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday.

Mama Joy spent more 57 minutes outside the stadium while she had a proper ticket in her hand, with members of the security team denying her entry into the stadium, claiming they were instructed not to allow her in.

In a video doing the rounds on social media, the former Orlando Pirates fan who recently joined Royal AM FC can be seen asking security guards to let her in as she had a proper ticket in her hand.

Veteran broadcaster Robert Marawa shared the video in which the fan favourite was being rejected by security personnel on Twitter, saying: “here are the videos showing Royal AM FC fan Mama Joy Chauke being denied entry into Orlando Stadium yesterday afternoon for no reason.

“Eventually she went to the police station to seek intervention and eventually entered the stadium 57 minutes into the game after that.

In the video, Mama Joy can be seen arguing and seeking entry, with the security personnel refusing to allow her in.

“Guys I am here. I am not allowed to enter Orlando Stadium. I do not know what I have done. I have my ticket with me here but I am not allowed to come in. I do not know what is going on. They do not even want to see my ticket. Here see my ticket. I bought it from TicketPro ... and no one can explain why I am not allowed inside,” Mama Joy protested.

This is not the first similar incident at the stadium. Last year, club owner Tim Sukazi was also refused entry into the stadium, while in the same year, Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos was also turned away from the stadium.

Broos was denied entry into Orlando Stadium ahead of a match between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.

According to Marawa, Mama Joy was only able to watch her new team play after the one hour mark, after she enlisted the help of SAPS from the nearby Orlando police station.

Many soccer fans on social media have slammed the tactics being displayed by security guards at the gate in recent times as such incidents seem to becoming a common occurrence.