You might be angry and hurt, Kaizer Chiefs said, but turning those emotion into violence is unacceptable.
The Soweto giants made it clear that they won’t tolerate actions of frustration that put the players and coach’s lives at risk as seen over the weekend at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg.
In a statement, Chiefs slammed the distasteful behaviour of the fans the country has become accustomed to.
The Amakhosi faithful are fed up with being a laughing stock and have resorted to violence to express themselves.
Bottles and other objects were thrown in the direction of the players and coach Arthur Zwane just above the entrance to the tunnel as they left the pitch following the 1-0 defeat at the hands of SuperSport United in a DStv Premiership clash on Saturday.
Zwane was hurt in the process as the club suffered their 11th defeat of the season. The Soweto-born coach has had a turbulent start in his first season in charge.
Under the guidance of Zwane, Chiefs extended their trophy drought to eight seasons. They also missed out on a top-three finish which would have secured them a spot in the CAF Confederations Cup.
The club’s supporters could not stomach another season without silverware as they demand changes.
Chiefs assured fans that everyone is doing their best to return the club to its glory days. In addition, they gave an update on Zwane’s injury.
KAIZER CHIEFS’ STATEMENT ON FAN VIOLENCE
“Kaizer Chiefs would like to confirm that coach, Arthur Zwane is fine following the incident that occurred at the end of the match against SuperSport United at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on Saturday.
“A few angry supporters threw some objects in the direction of the coach as he was leaving the pitch after giving his post-match interview.
“The SAPS and security officers, who were on hand, intervened instantly to restore order. In the process of protecting the people leaving the pitch, one of the officers accidentally struck the coach with his shield, causing a small cut to his cheek.
“The coach was immediately assessed in the change room by the doctor and was diagnosed to be fine. He returned to Johannesburg on the team bus, together with the players, without requiring any further medical attention.
“Much as the Club understands that supporters were disappointed with the result, such expressions of dissatisfaction as were seen in Phokeng on Saturday are unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. Hence, we implore all our supporters to please refrain from any form of violence.
“As we prepare for our last game of the season, we call on the Amakhosi Faithful to rally behind the team and the coach and inspire us to finish the season in style. The players and the technical team are giving their best out there. So let’s stick together and give them all the support we can.
“We are looking forward to seeing our faithful supporters at FNB Stadium on Saturday when we welcome Cape Town City.”
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