'One seat, one ticket'

2008-07-21 14:58

Verashni Pillay

Cape Town - Several people found in possession of counterfeit tickets at a soccer match between Manchester United and Kaizer Chiefs at Newlands on Saturday are facing possible prosecution, Superintendent Vishnu Naidoo said on Monday.

"Two or three of the seven are being charged for dealing and the others were in possession," Naidoo told News24.

He explained that the court would decide whether those who bought the tickets unwittingly were guilty of fraud.

Police maintained tight security at the Vodacom Challenge clash, which resulted in a number of arrests on the day. Two people were also arrested for the possession of unlicensed firearms and 350 traffic fines were issued, amounting to R138 800.

'One seat one ticket' policy

The event company responsible for the match, South Africa Investments Limited (Sail), said they were pursuing a strict "one seat one ticket" policy.

"If you come in there with a counterfeit ticket and there is somebody there with a real ticket you are going to be found out," Rory Steyn, a director at the security company for Sail, told News24.

A source who saw the 24 counterfeit tickets, which were sold on a street nearby the venue, said they were of a very good quality. "Whoever made those tickets knew what they were doing," said the person, who did not want to be named.

Steyn said all the tickets had the same serial number. He urged the public to only buy tickets from official sources.

Sail would continue to work closely with the police and employ "significant technologies" to prevent such incidents in the future, Steyn said.

The South African Football Association (Safa) and Premier Soccer League (PSL) said they used tickets from Computicket for their matches, which are difficult to counterfeit.

"Ever since we went the Computicket route the problem has really subsided," Safa spokesperson, Mario Sanyane said. "On occasion you find people selling complimentary tickets and because of the vigilance of the Saps and the security we had a number of people arrested."

- News24