Stampede Chaos At Athlone Stadium Leaves Job Seekers Injured

Chaos broke out at Athlone Stadium on Thursday after thousands of job seekers flooded a recruitment event, leading to a reported stampede that left several people injured.

The event, titled “A Day of 1 000 Opportunities”, was hosted by the City of Cape Town in partnership with CapeBPO, aiming to connect young people with opportunities in the contact centre industry.

An estimated 25 000 attendees arrived at the venue, far exceeding its capacity.

Crowd Control Measures Introduced as Injuries Reported

The City confirmed that no additional job seekers could be admitted once the stadium reached capacity.

“Due to capacity constraints, no more jobseekers can be admitted into the stadium,” the City said in a statement.

As the crowd grew, both Metro Police and the South African Police Service were deployed to manage the situation.

Eyewitnesses reported that some attendees were injured during the rush.

One person posted: “It’s really bad. I’m here – it’s not that crowded, but a few people are hurt, maybe they were stepped on. I was standing on the other side of the road, but now people are lining up in queues.”

Another added: “Those girls got badly hurt from pushing too hard.”

Officials Dismiss Athlone Gunfire Claims Amid Safety Concerns

Amid the confusion, claims circulated on social media suggesting that gunshots had been fired at the scene.

However, ward councillor Rashid Adams dismissed the reports.

“No shots were fired, there was a bit of a stampede, and a few people got injured.

“I checked with Metro Police and SAPS, and they confirmed no shots were fired, so we do not know where that rumour started.

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“Police were there, however, to secure crowd control.”

The event had been promoted as a major opportunity for unemployed youth, with Mayco Member for Economic Growth James Vos earlier stating that it would provide career guidance, interviews, and training opportunities.

Those unable to gain entry have been encouraged to apply online through the SAYouth platform.