Soweto Derby: Terror Attack Threat Sees Security Beefed Up for Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs Match

• The Soweto Derby later will hopefully go ahead without any incident after concerning reports earlier this week
• News revealed that a terror threat alert had been raised for the city of Johannesburg
• This has resulted in security being beefed up considerably at Soccer City in the south of the city where Orlando Pirates will host arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs

Stadium Management South Africa has assured extra security precautions are in place ahead of the Soweto Derby on Saturday.

On Wednesday, the United States issued an alert that terrorists were planning to conduct an attack on large gatherings of people in the Sandton area. Soccer City, which will host the derby with an expected 93 000 people in attendance, is in the Nasrec precinct, about 25 kilometres away from the leafy suburb.

The stadium's management, however, has assured the public that there is no immediate threat that would otherwise derail the logistics involved in planning the derby, as per Goal.

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Stadium Management South Africa CEO Bertie Grobbelaar said:

"Immediately after I informed the national desk, I engaged with the events safety and security planning committee planning this event and escalated it to the authorized member."

Grobbelaar’s agency is expected to work closely with the State Security Service to ensure an uninterrupted derby proceeding in Soweto.

This will be the first derby to have supporters attending since the COVID-19-induced lockdowns began in March 2020.

Soweto Derby Rewind: 10 Goals in Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs clash, Benni McCarthy smashes Amakhosi

Soccer City will be rocking this weekend as Orlando Pirates hosts Kaizer Chiefs in a DStv Premiership match on Saturday afternoon.

The two arch-enemies first met on 24 January in what would eventually become South African football's biggest match on the calendar. Sports Brief will hark back to memorable encounters between the Buccaneers and Amakhosi in the run-up to the match on 29 October.

In the 1970s, the teams began their rivalry with a sensational 10-goal thriller. A decade ago, Benni McCarthy made his mark in the only derby he ever took part in.