South African soccer bosses began an inquiry today into a soccer stampede that killed 43 people, while families searched for relatives still missing since last night's disaster.
"There will be a full investigation into this tragedy," Mr Robin Petersen, chief executive of the Premier Soccer League, said as soccer officials and government leaders gathered for urgent talks.
Security guard Mr Petrus Saayman said he saw a teenage girl trapped by the neck between bars of two gates as fans locked out of the stadium toppled a fence and rushed in.
"I saw a girl stuck inside the gates and as they pushed I think the girl's neck was broken." Mr Saayman said.
Provincial police chief Sharma Maharaj said the tragedy was not the fault of his officers.
"My officers' function was one of crime prevention outside the stadium. We were not gatekeepers or ticket collectors . . . the question of crowds entering the ground was not our responsibility," he said. The South African Football Association said the disaster would not affect plans to bid for the World Cup in 2010.
Former president Mr Nelson Mandela said in a statement the inquiry should find ways to ensure there was never a repeat of the disaster.