The Sunday News
Ngqwele Dube, Sports Correspondent
HIGHLANDERS are looking into the issue of alleged attendance disparities that have been raised by supporters following the recent surge in attendance at the team’s matches.
The club has been releasing attendance figures since the start of the season but there have been questions over the official numbers and the general estimates with some fans raising a red flag on some spectators coming in for free.
With only tickets to confirm attendance, it has been difficult to get the exact spectators as the seat numbers do not correlate with the number of spectators seated in a bay. Highlanders have had a total attendance of 32 720 paying fans in their first four home games, the highest by any PSL club.
Chief executive officer, Nhlanhla Dube said they had asked fans to help them with information around recycling of tickets and other activity that leads to the loss of income during match day.
“Remember there have been a lot of questions around what is viewed as disparity between what fans see and calculate the number that should be at the stadium vis-a-vis what we give out as official figures. We have since asked fans to alert us on any thieving and pilferage activities they may at the stadium,” he said
Dube added he has already received a lot of tips and hints in his WhatsApp inbox which they share with police and other stakeholders as they seek to plug the loopholes that would have been highlighted.
“We would like to assure all those that forward any information that it would be treated with utmost confidence and thank those that have already come forward. We welcome any evidence of corrupt activities. Fans can send video clips of these activities and we will act on this unwanted behaviour that continue to haemorrhage club’s finances and we are aware other partners such as the police, (Bulawayo City) council and Premier Soccer League are worried about this and would want to see it come to an end,” he said.
Commenting on the issue on Facebook one fan, Nqobilizwe Ndlovu, said lack of knowledge sees some fans buy tickets and then leave them with the security guards who instead of tearing them, collude with the cashier and police officer to allow other fans in while pocketing the amounts.
Ndlovu’s views were echoed by another fan who said there was a “syndicate” between security, cashiers and police, adding he has seen this happening for a long time saying it looks like a preplanned thing.
The unidentified fans said there is need to put an extra man, a Bosso Marshal, who will be given free entry into the stadium after doing his job.
Thulani Simbani said it was unfortunate that local stadiums have no individual seats that can be linked with tickets as this would eliminate the fraud and one ticket would not be used twice for entrance.
Another football follower, who declined to be identified, blamed lack of digitalisation which would allow pre-purchase of tickets on digital platforms, adding with an ailing economy people are looking for loopholes everywhere just make that extra dollar.
“A computerised system would change all that because it would ensure everything is captured and there is a trail as is the trend world over. We see the stadium full but it does not tally with entrance figures,” he said.
PSL media liaison officer, Kudzai Bare was quoted as saying lack of internet connectivity at stadiums had stalled their intended introduction of e-ticketing which was piloted about two years back.
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