11 April 2001 - The Ellis Park Stadium Disaster

On 11 April 2001, Kaizer Chiefs hosted Orlando Pirates at Johannesburg's Ellis Park Stadium in a match that turned into the worst sporting disaster in South African history.

With the fiercest rivalry in South African football, the Chiefs and Pirates already had a tragic history. In 1991, forty-one fans were killed in a stampede during a friendly between the two teams at Oppenheimer Stadium in Orkney. Then in 1998, in a match at Ellis Park, several fans rioted, resulting in the police firing rubber bullets into the crowd. Still another incident occurred in 2000 at Johannesburg's First National Bank Stadium, when several thousand spectators tried to force their way through the gates.

The incident on 11 April was rooted in the same cause - although the stadium had a capacity of 60,000, many more gained entry. Some reports place the total number of spectators at 120,000. As the crowd surged into the stadium, 43 people died after being trampled in the rush. The match was stopped and the crowd was sent home as the bodies were laid out on the pitch.

The official report placed the blame on several factors, including corrupt ticket sellers who accepted bribes to admit fans without tickets, abandoned vehicles that congested the entrances, poor control measures over complimentary admissions, and poor decision-making by security personnel. Both Kaizer Chiefs, as the home team, and the Ellis Park management were held responsible, as were the private security firms they had hired to control the crowd.

13 January 1991 - And They Still Call This A Friendly

On 13 January 1991, violence erupted between supporters of Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at a preseason friendly held at the Oppenheimer Stadium (pictured) in Orkney, South Africa, resulting in 42 deaths. At the time, it was the worst football-related tragedy in South African history.

Conditions were ripe for an incident, as the 23,000-capacity stadium held a crowd that day of approximately 30,000. To make matters worse, officials did not segregate supporters of the fierce derby rivals, so that they were all intermingled in the packed stadium. All that was needed was a spark, which was provided when Chiefs scored a controversial goal.

The Pirates supporters erupted, reportedly throwing objects, including cans and fruit, at the Chiefs supporters. A number of fights broke out and, according to some accounts, there were knife attacks. The deaths, however, were caused by the ensuing stampede as supporters rushed to get out of the stadium, with people getting trampled or crushed against the fences.

The same two teams were involved in a similar incident on 11 April 2001 at Johannesburg's Ellis Park Stadium. That time, 43 people died, surpassing the previous incident as the country's worst stadium tragedy.

7 January 1970 - It Sounds Better Than "Atlanta Motaung"

On 7 January 1970, former Orlando Pirates striker Kaizer Motaung, who had recently returned home to Soweto, South Africa after spending two years in the NASL with the Atlanta Chiefs, founded a club of his own. He called it Kaizer Chiefs, combining his name and that of his former club. (He also adopted the Atlanta Chiefs' logo, which explains the Native American profile on the club's badge.)

Nicknamed the Amakhosi ("Chiefs" in Zulu), the club was an almost instant success, winning a number of cup competitions in its first few years. It is now the most decorated club in South Africa, having won 10 league titles and more than 80 trophies in total. They won their last league title in 2005.

The Chiefs maintain a longstanding rivalry with Motaung's first club, fellow Soweto side Orlando Pirates. Both teams currently play in South Africa's top flight, the ABSA Premiership.

The members of the English band Kaiser Chiefs don't actually support the Amakhosi, but are followers of Leeds United. They adopted their name in honor of former Leeds captain Lucas Radebe, who played for Kaizer Chiefs from 1990 to 1994.

11 April 2001 - The Ellis Park Stadium Disaster

On 11 April 2001, Kaizer Chiefs hosted Orlando Pirates at Johannesburg's Ellis Park Stadium in a match that turned into the worst sporting disaster in South African history.

With the fiercest rivalry in South African football, the Chiefs and Pirates already had a tragic history. In 1991, forty-one fans were killed in a stampede during a friendly between the two teams at Oppenheimer Stadium in Orkney. Then in 1998, in a match at Ellis Park, several fans rioted, resulting in the police firing rubber bullets into the crowd. Still another incident occurred in 2000 at Johannesburg's First National Bank Stadium, when several thousand spectators tried to force their way through the gates.

The incident on 11 April was rooted in the same cause - although the stadium had a capacity of 60,000, many more gained entry. Some reports place the total number of spectators at 120,000. As the crowd surged into the stadium, 43 people died after being trampled in the rush. The match was stopped and the crowd was sent home as the bodies were laid out on the pitch.

The official report placed the blame on several factors, including corrupt ticket sellers who accepted bribes to admit fans without tickets, abandoned vehicles that congested the entrances, poor control measures over complimentary admissions, and poor decision-making by security personnel. Both Kaizer Chiefs, as the home team, and the Ellis Park management were held responsible, as were the private security firms they had hired to control the crowd.

13 January 1991 - And They Still Call This A Friendly

On 13 January 1991, violence erupted between supporters of Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates at a preseason friendly held at the Oppenheimer Stadium (pictured) in Orkney, South Africa, resulting in 42 deaths. At the time, it was the worst football-related tragedy in South African history.

Conditions were ripe for an incident, as the 23,000-capacity stadium held a crowd that day of approximately 30,000. To make matters worse, officals did not segregate supporters of the fierce derby rivals, so that they were all intermingled in the packed stadium. All that was needed was a spark, which was provided when Chiefs scored a controversial goal.

The Pirates supporters erupted, reportedly throwing objects, including cans and fruit, at the Chiefs supporters. A number of fights broke out and, according to some accounts, there were knife attacks. The deaths, however, were caused by the ensuing stampede as supporters rushed to get out of the stadium, with people getting trampled or crushed against the fences.

The same two teams were involved in a similar incident on 11 April 2001 at Johannesburg's Ellis Park Stadium. That time, 43 people died, surpassing the previous incident as the country's worst stadium tragedy.

7 January 1970 - It Sounds Better Than "Atlanta Motaung"

On 7 January 1970, former Orlando Pirates striker Kaizer Motaung, who had recently returned home to Soweto, South Africa after spending two years in the NASL with the Atlanta Chiefs, founded a club of his own. He called it Kaizer Chiefs, combining his name and that of his former club. (He also adopted the Atlanta Chiefs' logo, which explains the Native American profile on the club's badge.)

Nicknamed the Amakhosi ("Chiefs" in Zulu), the club was an almost instant success, winning a number of cup competitions in its first few years. It is now the most decorated club in South Africa, having won 10 league titles and more than 80 trophies in total. They won their last league title in 2005.

The Chiefs maintain a longstanding rivalry with Motaung's first club, fellow Soweto side Orlando Pirates. Both teams currently play in South Africa's top flight, the ABSA Premiership.

The members of the English band Kaiser Chiefs don't actually support the Amakhosi, but are followers of Leeds United. They adopted their name in honor of former Leeds captain Lucas Radebe, who played for Kaizer Chiefs from 1990 to 1994.