• Furious Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates supporters demand answers after a ticketing mistake sells more tickets than seats.

• Fans spent thousands on flights and hotels, and are now planning to travel ticketless.

Fans of Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates are angry after a ticketing mess left many without tickets, even though they had paid.

Supporters spent thousands of rands on travel, flights and accommodation to get to Durban, only to be told there were no tickets left, even after receiving booking confirmations.

Tsietsi Mkansi, a Kaizer Chiefs fan from Sandton, said he spent R15,000 on flights, a rental car and a hotel.

“I got a ticket reference number, then later I got an email saying the ticket wasn’t generated,” he told Sowetan. “I’ve come too far to just cancel.”

He made all his bookings as soon as Kaizer Chiefs beat Sundowns in the semi-finals. He’s now heading to Durban with two friends, hoping to find someone selling a ticket outside the stadium.

Tebogo Matlala from Polokwane is also travelling, even though he didn’t get a ticket. He and four friends paid R1,300 each per night for their rooms. “We’ll look for tickets outside the stadium,” he said.

But the police say ticketless fans should stay home.

“We will be very strict on the ground. If you don’t have a ticket, don’t come to the stadium,” said KwaZulu-Natal’s Deputy Police Commissioner, Major-General Phumelele Makoba.

Public viewing areas will be set up at the beachfront and Albert Park.

The anger comes after officials confirmed that more tickets were sold than the stadium can hold.

Stadium Management SA’s Bertie Grobbelaar said the venue’s official capacity is 49,000 — but over 51,000 tickets were sold through Computicket, Shoprite, Checkers and Open Tickets.

Computicket alone sold more than 44,000 tickets.

PSL Acting CEO Mato Madlala blamed the incident on a system glitch. “Tickets kept selling even when they were already sold out,” she said.

So far, the PSL has refunded over 10,000 fans who didn’t get valid tickets. Most who bought online have been refunded. Those who paid using EFT or other methods are still waiting.

Pictured above: Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Image source: File