It’s been a while since the Soweto derby produced the on-field thrills we saw on Saturday, when Orlando Pirates defeated Kaizer Chiefs 3-2 at FNB Stadium.

The event was a joy to watch, a further reminder of what SA football can produce away from the usual politics and off-the-field drama that usually surround it.

Both teams came to the party in terms of offering the jam-packed stadium – and millions who tuned in on TV and radio – value for money with a five-goal thriller that had all of us in awe.

But the derby would not be what it is without the usual gremlins which characterise it. A match that was scheduled to kick-off at 3.30pm started 15 minutes later instead, because of poor traffic controls and generally tardy fans. Some of the fans could be seen openly consuming alcohol while battling long traffic queues, clambering out of cars to dance to loud music and becoming a nuisance to road users who had nothing to do with Saturday’s match.

It is a shame that 14 years after this country hosted the Fifa World Cup, we still have no proper traffic management system around big football matches. Not a single match in the 2010 World Cup was delayed due to fans arriving late at a match venue, but more often than not, you’re always guaranteed a delay of some sort with the Pirates v Chiefs fixtures or other big matches.

Surely there has to be a better way to educate our fans about early attendance.

Another matter which seemed to take the shine off the spectacular event was the behaviour of a few fans who threw objects into the field at the final whistle. We commend police for a job well-done in ensuring the situation was contained before it could escalate.

The law-enforcement officers, backed by security marshalls, were proactive and managed to quell the situation quickly as the disgruntled handful of fans decided to calm down and accept the result.

Lastly, would it not have been nice if Saturday’s derby had more bearing on the DStv Premiership championship, rather than it being a hyped-up battle for second place? The league title is all but wrapped up, with Mamelodi Sundowns seeking less than 20 points to be confirmed as champions.

The Soweto giants need to pull their socks up and close the gap on the marauding Sundowns, so that SA football can enjoy more meaningful and purposeful derbies in years to come.