Gardens president Johnny George has written a letter of complaint to EP Rugby bosses asking for compensation for substantial losses allegedly suffered after his club’s top-of-the-table clash against Harlequins was called off at the last minute on Saturday.
A capacity crowd had been expected to descend on the Derrick Ferreira Stadium (popularly known as “Die Hok”) for one of the biggest games of the EPRU Grand Challenge club rugby season.
A well-placed Gardens insider said the club had lost at least R70,000 in revenue because of the unexpected postponement.
Shockwaves reverberated around the EP rugby community when the eagerly awaited clash between two of the province’s best club teams was put on hold after safety concerns were expressed about gang activity.
Because the decision was taken only late on Saturday morning, confused supporters arriving at the “Die Hok” were surprised to hear the match had been called off.
In a letter to EP president George Malgas, George said: “The cancellation caused significant financial harm to the club, our players and supporters.
“Players took unpaid leave from work in preparation for the fixture.
“Supporters travelled long distances, incurring fuel, transport and accommodation costs.
“The club incurred non-refundable expenses for venue preparation, private security, medical staff and other logistics.
“A detailed breakdown can be provided on request, but the estimated combined loss is substantial.”
George said the club was informed of the cancellation about two hours before the day’s activities were scheduled to begin.
“[This] after event infrastructure had already been prepared, staff and players mobilised and supporters arrived or were en route from various regions.
“We note with concern no valid or formal written reason for the cancellation has been provided.
“The school designated by EPRU for parking was in fact hosting a separate event, which raises questions about EPRU’s planning and verification process.
“The match was a sanctioned fixture under EPRU authority, involving the top two teams on the log, and its cancellation directly affects the credibility of the competition.
“Gardens was not included in any meaningful decision-making reference to the meeting on Saturday morning, leading to cancellation or consultation regarding this abrupt decision
“SAPS permission and safety confirmation: Importantly, we must place on record that the SA Police Service gave formal permission for the match to proceed.
“In the Friday planning meeting, and again, on Friday night, during direct consultation between the SAPS, Gardens Rugby Club executive members.
“This was communicated to the EPRU general manager [Mzi Mpofu].
“If EPRU acted on claims of possible gang-related threats, we respectfully request that EPRU provide documented proof of such reports having been officially filed with the SAPS and clarify why this information was not shared transparently with the hosting club and all relevant safety partners.
“Gardens Rugby Club has always operated in good faith, in the spirit of discipline and respect for the game.
“However, the events surrounding this cancellation have left us and our community feeling disrespected, unfairly treated and financially penalised.
“We therefore request:
• A formal written explanation detailing who authorised the cancellation and a signed register of members of the executive present and why.
• Any and all evidence or reports submitted to the SAPS about security threats, if cited as justification.
• Consideration for compensation or reimbursement for direct losses suffered by the club and its members and vendors.
• A firm commitment to procedural fairness and communication in all future fixture decisions.
• A clear indication of whether the fixture will be rescheduled and when.
“We respectfully request a written response within seven working days of this letter.
“Should we not receive a satisfactory reply, we will be forced to escalate the matter to the South African Rugby Union (Saru) and consider all appropriate legal avenues available to protect the integrity of our club and its members.”
Die Hok was in the headlines in June after a crowd invasion which resulted in a match between Gardens and Progress being abandoned.
Apart from the on-field mayhem, a shooting took place behind the pavilion a while after the game was called off when an assailant reportedly jumped a fence and opened fire on a fan.
The police later confirmed that Morne Matill, 48, had been fatally shot in the neck and chest behind the pavilion.
Malgas said it had been decided to postpone the clash after a general council meeting on Saturday morning.
“It was unanimously decided the threat was way too big and that it could not be ignored, and let us just call the game off,” he said.
“After what happened on June 21 we cannot take chances.”
The Herald
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