Ethekwini mayor Zandile Gumede confirmed on Wednesday that the Moses Mabhida Stadium was fully functional, despite the pitch invasion, violence and vandalism inflicted by Kaiser Chiefs fans on Saturday. However, the total estimate of damages was R2.6-million, media were told at a municipal briefing.
Gumede said: "The unfortunate events display us negatively as a city and a nation... a case was opened by the city, because the stadium is our stadium."
According to stadium management, barriers were damaged and more than 500 seats were destroyed in the riot by some spectators after the Nedbank Cup match between Chiefs and Free State Stars on Saturday.
Gumede confirmed that the number of people injured in the rampage stood at 18 — 12 of whom were treated at the stadium, and six who had to be admitted to hospital. The latter included Sabela Maziba, the 32-year-old security guard who suffered head injuries in a vicious, thuggish attack.