Scenes of chaos unfolded at Athlone Stadium on Thursday as thousands of job seekers gathered for the City of Cape Town’s “Day of 1 000 Opportunities” recruitment drive.
An estimated 25,000 people arrived at the venue, far exceeding capacity, as hopeful applicants queued to be screened for jobs in the contact centre industry.
According to reports and videos circulating on social media, tensions escalated when sections of the crowd forced their way through a second gate, triggering a stampede.
There were also unconfirmed reports of a gunshot and possible injuries during the unrest. However, Athlone CPF representative Naweed Mohamed downplayed these claims, saying no one was shot.
“So no one was shot. Because of the stampede, the police fired a few shots. So no one was shot,” Mohamed said.
The City of Cape Town confirmed that, due to the overwhelming turnout, no further entrants were allowed into the stadium.
In a statement, the City expressed appreciation for the high level of interest.
“The interest in the event is promising, and the City, along with its partners, will be assisting the current attendees at the venue. However, due to capacity constraints, no more job seekers can be admitted.”
Residents who were unable to gain entry have been encouraged to apply online through the SAYouth platform. The City also apologised for the inconvenience and thanked residents for their patience.
Photo: Screenshot
