The PSL COO, Prof. Ronnie Schloss, says that stadiums must be equipped with generators after a SuperSport vs. Golden Arrows match was halted by load-shedding.
The game had to be stopped due to a power failure while the score was tied at 1-1 during SuperSport coach Gavin Hunt’s 1,000th PSL game. This incident marked the second recent power failure in the PSL, following an earlier disruption in the Magesi FC and Chippa United match at Seshego Stadium.
That match was also interrupted and had to be resumed the following day, as per PSL regulations, which stipulate that a power-interrupted match must be concluded within 48 hours.
However, the SuperSport vs. Arrows clash could be referred to the PSL Disciplinary Committee (DC) due to the lack of a generator at the Atteridgeville venue.
“There was loadshedding, and the lights came on and off a few times. There is no generator at the [Lucas Moripe] stadium. Stadiums are supposed to have generators. It is compulsory, according to our rules, for a stadium to have a generator,” Schloss told The Sowetan.
“This matter will be referred to the DC, and they will decide what happens next. The compliance manual is clear: every stadium that hosts a club must have a generator because we can’t rely solely on Eskom,” he added.
Schloss further emphasized that home teams should always ensure their stadiums are equipped with generators, something already in place at many stadiums in KwaZulu-Natal and Cape Town.
“If there is no generator at a stadium, the clubs must rent one or arrange for the municipality to install one,” he continued.
“This is the practice throughout the country. Municipalities have installed generators at their stadiums. In KwaZulu-Natal, for example, I believe every stadium has a generator. The same is true for Cape Town.”
According to the publication, Matsatsantsa a Pitori declined to comment on whether they would provide a backup generator for future home matches.
If found guilty of non-compliance, the match could be awarded to Golden Arrows as a walkover, meaning that Gavin Hunt’s 1,000th game would be recorded as a defeat.