Ghana soccer fans go mad over tickets; block road in SA

Ghana's good name and high reputation in the international community got dented on Saturday morning in Pretoria when about 45 heavily-armed South African police officers were called in to stop rampaging Ghanaian sports fans who were protesting against the hoarding of match tickets.

The soccer fans claimed the tickets were being given to favourites.

About 200 agitated-looking Ghanaian soccer fans, sponsored by government to support the Black Stars, had stopped cars passing through the main 200 Quagga Street in Pretoria west, just in front of the Muzinda Residence, the base of the fans, in protest against officials’ alleged misconduct at the tournament.

As some of the angry fans complained bitterly about what they termed as sub-standard food being served to them, a number of them were up in arms because they claimed their leaders were illegally selling their match tickets for 40 Rand at Ghana Bar at Sunny Side in Pretoria, a day before the Ghana/Australia encounter.

A certain Edem, believed to be among the Ghanaian executives in charge of the soccer fans at the Muzinda Residence, escaped being lynched when he tried to explain to the agitated fans that had already boarded buses for the Ghana/Australia match that the match tickets available could not cater for all of them.

Edem was given a hot chase by the soccer fans amid chants that they would kill him; but luckily for the young man, he was saved by security men on duty at the Muzinda Residence.

Rumours were rife early in the morning on the day of the Ghana/Australia match that government could only provide match tickets for only 600 soccer fans out of the about 1,500 fans.

True to the speculation, the Ghanaian executives decided to share 600 match tickets to some of the supporters, leaving the about 900 stranded soccer fans with the only option of watching the Ghana/Australia match on a giant screen TV mounted at the residence.

This news got the Ghanaian fans annoyed so they decided to block the busy road for about one hour.

The fans threatened that until they were all given the match tickets, they would not allow the buses that were conveying the 'lucky' supporters to the stadium to move.

Edem had barely finished his statement when the angry fans charged on him with unprintable words and followed it up with a hot chase.

Had it not been for his athletic prowess, Edem, who was visibly stunned and shaken by the fans' behavior, would have been dead by now, as the rampaging fans chanted war songs even as they raced after him at the Muzinda Residence.

Barely twelve-hours after the whole show, the angry soccer fans were still heard chanting war songs in their buses after the Ghana/Australia game, indicating their preparedness to attack Edem if they saw him at Muzinda again.

Perhaps afraid of the threatening words from the fuming fans, Edem and some of the Ghanaian executives were not seen at the Muzinda Residence on Sunday morning.

The rampaging soccer fans, who were mostly male, told Daily Guide that even though Edem said the match tickets were insufficient, several ladies, who they alleged 'are very close to' Edem, had been given the tickets.

Others also speculated that they saw some Ghanaian officials selling the Ghana/Australia match tickets to non Ghanaians on Friday evening and this resulted in the shortage of the tickets.

For fear that the Ghanaian fans might cause mayhem in the area, management of the Muzinda Residence called in the police who responded swiftly by storming the area in a convoy of about twelve cars.

The presence of the police officers had some positive effect, as peace finally prevailed following a hurriedly arranged meeting between-them (police) and the leadership of the Ghanaian contingent.

Three hours after the whole issue, it was announced that Vice President John Mahama, who was in South Africa, had heard about the nasty incident and had therefore decided to purchase more tickets to enable the entire supporters to watch the match.

However, most of the fans got their hopes dashed upon reaching the stadium as they could not lay hands on the match tickets as promised.

Those who had the tickets missed the first half action as they reached the stadium late due to the troubles that erupted in the morning.