FNB Stadium, Joburg assures Ed Sheeran fans of safety at concert
Big Concerts CEO Justin van Wyk has assured concertgoers of improved road closures and transport plans for this weekend’s Ed Sheeran concert.
Van Wyk addressed the media at FNB Stadium, south of Johannesburg, on Tuesday.
He said the company has worked on a tight plan with the city’s metro police, police and private security.
These measures have been put in place after the criminal incidents that rocked Global Citizen concert late last year.
Some of the measures put in place include improved signage around the stadium as well as a dedicated WhatsApp number to enable concertgoers to report any incidents.
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“We has significantly increase the security, not just inside the venue but outside as part of plans for tight security force,” said Van Wyk.
E-hailing services such as Uber have been allocated a new, protected area while park-and-ride facilities have been also been improved across the province.
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FNB’s Stadium Management admitted that it learnt valuable lessons from the incidents following the Global Citizen concert.
Managing director Bertie Grobbelaar said the team has worked closely with the metro police to ensure everyone’s safety at the Ed Sheeran concert.
“We agreed to a deployment plan for JMPD that incorporated into the overall transport and traffic management plan.”
Metro police spokesperson Wayne Minnaar warned that traffic will be diverted from Soweto Highway from 10 am on the day of the concert.
Crime intervention units and K-9 units will be deployed to the stadium.
“I’m very glad to hear also that the boosters have been put in place to help with network. It was because of the problem with network that we had problems with the previous concert,” said Minnaar.
The City of Johannesburg has welcomed the improved safety plans.
The city’s Nthatisi Modingoane said measures are being put in place to ensure load-shedding doesn’t affect the areas around the stadium.
“We are trying to engage with our partner, City Power, to ensure continuous lighting over the weekend. Especially in this area.”