South Africa’s biggest football club, Kaizer Chiefs, together with Stadium Management South Africa, the Premier Soccer League and the Minister of Police are facing a combined R11 million lawsuit from a Gauteng woman who claims she was left “disabled” and “disfigured” after a stampede that occurred during the Phefeni Boys’ league match at FNB Stadium last year.
Africa Daily can exclusively reveal that Nonhlanhla Celia Khumalo of Vosloorus, has hauled Kaizer Chiefs, Stadium Management South Africa (FNB Stadium), the Premier Soccer League (PSL) and the Minister of Police to court after they refused to compensate her for the life-changing injuries she sustained at the stadium.
In the court papers, which Africa Daily has seen, Khumalo’s lawyers, T Matubatuba Attorneys, said their client went to watch the Betway Premiership League showdown between Kaizer Chiefs and Sekhukhune United at FNB Stadium on or about 18 September 2025.
“The plaintiff arrived at the stadium at or around 18:45, and after ,she entered the stadium gates through the barricades that were set by the stadium security,” read the papers.
They said a stampede occurred within the precinct of the stadium, fondly known as the Calabash, at or around 19:00.
The lawyers stated in the court papers that this stampede occurred while Khumalo was still within the barricades, heading towards exiting them through a second pool of security guards who were checking tickets.
“As a result of the stampede, the plaintiff was knocked down and trampled upon by other spectators, which led to her being seriously injured,” read the papers.
T Matubatuba Attorneys are laying the blame at the doorsteps of Kaizer Chiefs, affectionately known as Amakhosi, FNB Stadium, the PSL and the Minister of Police.
“This dangerous situation arose due to poor or inadequate crowd control and the defendants’ failure to implement proper crowd management measures. The security personnel failed to assist the plaintiff until her colleague removed her from the crowd,” stated the court papers.
The attorneys further said that following the incident, Khumalo was taken to the stadium clinic on the premises, where she received emergency medical treatment from the stadium’s attending doctors.
They said the doctors assessed Khumalo’s injuries and referred her to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto.
This, they said, was due to the seriousness of the injuries she sustained.
“Upon arrival at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, the plaintiff was admitted and, during the course of her admission, the plaintiff underwent surgery for her injuries and was later discharged on 23 September 2025,” read the papers.
Khumalo’s lawyers stated in the court papers that if sufficient safety measures had been implemented, the stampede would probably not have occurred and their client would not have been trampled upon and injured.
“At all material times, the defendants owed the plaintiff a legal duty of care to ensure her safety as a lawful spectator by ensuring reasonable safety measures, preventing overcrowding, implementing proper crowd management and control systems, providing adequate security personnel, ensuring safe entry and exit pathways, and conducting proper risk assessments. The defendants failed to ensure the safety of the plaintiff and thus were in breach of their legal duty,” read the papers.
Kaizer Chiefs Liability
The lawyers argued that as the home team and event organiser, Kaizer Chiefs, who are known as the Naturena Boys, bore the primary responsibility for the organisation and hosting of the game in terms of Section 4(1) of the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act 2 of 2010.
“The first defendant failed to ensure that safety and crowd management plans were developed and implemented, and failed to exercise proper oversight and coordination of safety measures implemented by the second and third defendants. This constitutes negligence, which led to the harm suffered by the plaintiff,” read the papers.
Stadium Management South Africa
The lawyers said that, as the operator and controller of FNB Stadium, Stadium Management South Africa bore a direct duty to ensure that its premises were safe for spectators but failed to maintain and implement adequate stadium safety infrastructure pertaining to entry and exit pathways.
They said it further failed to ensure that crowd capacity limits were adhered to by deploying adequate security personnel and crowd control systems.
“The second defendant failed to take reasonable steps to prevent the risk of a stampede. This conduct constitutes a breach of its statutory obligations in terms of Section 4(1) of the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act 2 of 2010 to put in place measures as may be prescribed to ensure the physical safety and security of persons at an event,” they wrote.
Premier Soccer League
The football governing body was not spared.
The lawyers said that, as the regulatory authority governing professional football in South Africa, it exercises oversight and control over Betway Premiership matches as provided for in Rule 8.1.2.4 of the National Soccer League Handbook, and it failed or refused to ensure that the First and Second Defendants complied with the requirements set out in Section 4 of the Safety at Sports and Recreational Events Act 2 of 2010.
Minister of Police
The lawyers said that, as an organisation deployed to oversee crowd control, stadium security and emergency response as stipulated in the laws of the country, the SAPS failed to regulate crowd movement and to properly coordinate with Kaizer Chiefs and Stadium Management South Africa to avoid the stampede from taking place, thus failing in its duties.
Because of their negligence, the stampede occurred and Khumalo sustained serious injuries.
They said that, according to orthopaedic surgeon Dr Peter Kumbirai, who examined Khumalo, she sustained a fracture of the proximal left humerus and a fracture of the left femur.
As a result, Khumalo suffered damages amounting to R5 million for general damages, R5 million for loss of earning capacity and R1 million for future medical expenses.
“The amount claimed in respect of general damages for pain and suffering, loss of amenities of life, disfigurement, and disability is a global figure. It is not reasonably practicable to apportion each of the subheads of damages as a specified portion of the amount claimed,” read the papers.
The lawyers said that, before instituting legal proceedings against the defendants, they wrote letters demanding that they compensate Khumalo for the damages she suffered, but they refused.
“Wherefore the plaintiff claims payment in the sum of R11 000 000.00 (Eleven Million Rand) for general damages, loss of earning capacity and future medical expenses,” read the papers.
Kaizer Chiefs spokesperson Vina Maphosa said they are not aware of any lawsuit filed against the team. Gauteng Police Spokesperson Brigadier Amanda Sibeko confirmed that Nyathela has opened a fraud case against Gcaleka and was transferred to the Hawks .
Public Protector Spokesperson Ndili Msoki said they are not aware of a criminal case opened against her.
“The (Public Protector South Africa) PPSA has no knowledge of the said criminal complaint and affected and implicated persons
are encouraged to make use of the appropriate legal avenues for relief. The Public Protector has issued the final report which deals with the issues raised and is publicly
available. Accordingly, where an interested and/or affected person is not in agreement with the
final report, they may make use of a competent court by seeking judicial relief,” he said.