According to police records the situation outside the stadium

was out of control by 7.30pm, the commission of inquiry into the

disaster heard.

"Control is lost," a transcript from a radio conversation on the

night indicated.

The commander of the public order police unit, a Captain

Mkhatshwa, called several times for stand-by personal to be sent

to the stadium only to hear that none could be reached.

Policemen from Soweto eventually responded to the desperate

plea for assistance, but battled to reach the stadium because of

traffic congestion. According to the records, ambulances also

struggled to get through.

Stadium general manager George Stainton told the commission

on Thursday, that the final responsibility for security at the venue

rested with the police.

He conceded afterwards that the police did not have the authority to open or close entrance gates should it be necessary but maintained that it should have been able to control the crowd.

The commission also viewed clips from an SABC video taken on the fateful night.

In several scenes people could be seen covering their noses.

When asked about this, Stainton said he was aware of allegations that teargas had been fired outside the stadium, but could not confirm it.

Just before the lunch adjournment on Thursday, Advocate Kevin Atwell, who appeared for the commission, put it to Stainton that spectators in the stands had burnt paper before kick-off time in an attempt to draw security officials' attention.

He said at that stage people were already trapped under other

spectators who had stampeded onto the stands.

However, Stainton said he had received no information to that

effect.

If it was true spectators also had a duty to assist the injured to

get out of harms way, Stainton said.

The hearing continues.