Kaizer Chiefs fan Mashonisa faces court return over pitch-invasion punishment

Kaizer Chiefs supporter Mashonisa says he fears he could be prevented from attending football matches after learning that his court case remains open.

The Mpumalanga man was arrested and prosecuted after running on to the pitch during Mamelodi Sundowns’ 4-0 victory over the Soweto side in a Telkom Knockout match at FNB Stadium in November 2024.

He entered the field carrying a vuvuzela and moved towards the Kaizer Chiefs players, unable to contain his frustration at the result. The South African Police Service (SAPS) arrested him and charged him under stadium safety laws.

Although Kaizer Chiefs and the Premier Soccer League condemned his actions as hooliganism and called for him to be banned from stadiums, Mashonisa was dealt with through the courts rather than receiving a stadium ban at the time.

He apologised publicly during a court appearance and expressed regret over the incident. However, he says lawyers have now told him that he must complete another part of his sentence.

“I’m shocked to learn that my case is not yet closed,” a concerned Mashonisa told KickOff.

He said his legal representatives had informed him that he still needed to attend three different Premier Soccer League matches while carrying a large poster warning against pitch invasions.

“I received a call from the lawyers informing me that I haven’t done my other sentence of having to carry a big poster in three different PSL matches in stadiums with a message reading, ‘Pitch Invasion Is Criminal Offence, Don’t Do It’,” he said.

Mashonisa must also photograph himself with the poster at each match and give the images to his lawyers. They are expected to submit the pictures to the court as evidence that he has completed the punishment.

“Further to that, I have to take pictures, give them to my lawyers so that they will present them to court to prove I served my punishment,” he added.

He said the case could be reopened if he failed to fulfil the order and questioned why he had not been contacted earlier.

“According to my lawyers, the case will go back to court if I fail to do the right thing. I could have finished this sentence a long time ago if the lawyers had given me a call, let’s say as early as January,” said Mashonisa.

He admitted that he had not initially believed the requirement to carry the poster would be enforced.

“To be honest, this is one sentence I never thought was serious. I could never imagine myself carrying a placard with such a message in the stadium. But now I see my mistake,” he said.

“Now the court says my case will never be struck off until they see the three photos where I’m carrying this placard in a stadium, in three different matches,” he added.

Mashonisa ended by appealing for assistance in producing the placard.

“Please help. I hate courts. Anyone who can help and make me the placard, please come forward.”