Nedbank final tickets sold out, thousands to be refunded amid chaos

Tickets for Saturday's Soweto derby Nedbank Cup final between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban have been sold out, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) announced in a press conference in Durban on Wednesday.

The PSL addressed the chaos surrounding ticket sales since they went up for purchase at 10am on Monday. Scores of supporters have complained they have bought tickets online with providers Open Tickets and Computicket, but then did not receive them or any indication that they will receive them.

Others were turned away from retailers and told to buy on the internet, but Open Tickets' online system was reportedly overwhelmed and many were unsuccessful. Some supporters who thought they had their purchase confirmed received messages via email or WhatsApp that there had been over-selling and they were in fact not successful.

PSL acting CEO Mato Madlala, speaking at a press conference with Stadium Management SA (SMSA) CEO Bertie Grobbelaar, said tickets have been sold out for the final. Those who paid online but did not receive their tickets will be refunded.

Moses Mabhida Stadium is not overseen by SMSA, but Madlala explained Grobbelaar was roped in to help resolve the ticket chaos.

“The demand for Soweto derby tickets is always more than what we can supply,” Madlala said. “What we did after the ticket sales and problems we experienced because of volumes was we roped in Bertie. He has hosted matches at FNB Stadium using the same companies [Open Tickets and Computicket].

“We asked him to come as an independent auditor to advise us in terms of what happened because we want the truth. I don't want to listen to a service provider telling me what they think they should be telling me or telling me things that will please me — I want the raw truth. 

“Bertie is not representing SMSA but he's representing me. I said he must analyse this report [on ticket sales] and tell me what is wrong or right and what we can fix.”

Grobbelaar confirmed he was not representing SMSA or the companies responsible for selling tickets, but was asked by the PSL to analyse the numbers.

“The major concern was the over-issuing of tickets — that was the main concern of the CEO, PSL and the [league] chair [Irvin Khoza],” he said.

“From the data I have obtained the approved capacity of the stadium is 49,307 seats. It's a reduced capacity by the stadium's management and that is the number of tickets that were issued. 

“Hospitality are 5,307, complimentary tickets 3,000, which leaves 41,000 that went on sale. According to the preliminary report provided to the PSL, tickets were sold out within 90 minutes [of going on sale].

“That caused a delay, a glitch or call it whatever you want but the fact is the tickets went on sale and the system allowed more people to make payments than there is capacity for.

“Computicket stopped the platform from issuing physical tickets but the transactions still went through. At the retail outlets 4,966 tickets were sold and issued across the country.

“Digital tickets on the Open Tickets website, 2,435 [were sold]; and on the Computicket website, 44,121 tickets were sold. That immediately tells you there's over-issuing of tickets.

“Of the outlet sales, 33% went to KwaZulu-Natal, 35% went to Gauteng and 8% Mpumalanga. The Open Ticket and Computicket online sales combined in KZN were 39%, Gauteng 32% and Mpumalanga 12%.”

Grobbelaar said more than 10,000 tickets were over-issued, and those purchasers will be refunded.

“All people who paid for the tickets to the capacity of the stadium have received their tickets — hard copy or digital — via different platforms. 

“ Of the people who paid but cannot be allocated tickets, 80% as we speak here, of those bought online, we have refunded.

“The other 20% are people who paid via EFT or other form of payment platform. They all received messages that upon receipt of their banking details they will be refunded.” 

The deputy provincial commissioner responsible for visible policing in KwaZulu-Natal, Maj-Gen Phumelele Makoba said people who do not have tickets should not go to the stadium on Saturday.

Stadium manager Vusi Mazibuko said there will be public viewing areas for those who could not get tickets.

“The city will provide two viewing areas, one on the beachfront and the other at Albert Park.”