Executive Chairman, Kaizer Motaung has paid tribute to the victims of the Oppenheimer Stadium disaster that struck South African Football on January 13, 1991. The disaster is the second worst sporting incident in South Africa that claimed 42 lives and left 180 injured.

On that fateful afternoon, the Oppenheimer Stadium, in a small town of Orkney, played host to the two Soweto giants, Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. About 30 000 fans were crammed into a 23 000-seat stadium to witness the game -- something that contributed to the stampede.

“It is important, as we are going forward as a football fraternity, to remember where we come from -- and the Orkney disaster, just like the Ellis Park disaster that followed many years later, will remain one of the most painful moments in our history.

"It is satisfying that more stringent security measures have since been put in place to ensure that such disasters will never occur in our football again. I want to take this opportunity once more, as we remember what happened 19 years ago, to pay tribute to the families and everyone who was affected by what happened at the Oppenheimer Stadium,” said Mr. Motaung.