VAR or better referees? South African football debates its next priority

South African football must decide whether to invest in technology such as VAR or focus first on improving refereeing standards, according to debate on episode 11 of The CarWash Podcast.

The discussion questioned whether the Premier Soccer League is among the best competitions on the continent. Its financial influence, ability to export players and large crowds at derby matches point towards that status, although Delmain Faver offered a different assessment during the programme.

The debate also considered whether South African football is falling behind the English Premier League, where goal-line technology and VAR are standard.

Linda Mntambo, Teko Modise and Brighton Mhlongo were joined by special guest Roger Feutmba to consider the advantages and drawbacks of introducing high-tech officiating systems into the local league.

Mntambo, widely known as Figo, said the central issue was whether South Africa was ready to use the latest technology. He argued that refereeing mistakes would occur with or without VAR, and that attention should be directed towards matters the league and other domestic structures could directly control.

He related the argument to his own upbringing. Mntambo said his single mother had been unable to watch him play and had taught him not to measure himself against other people, but to concentrate on his own progress.

Applying that principle to the PSL, he said the immediate priorities should be fuller stadiums, greater sponsorship and increased revenue before administrators considered introducing new technology.

Feutmba took the opposite view, saying VAR in the Premiership would eventually be unavoidable. He acknowledged that the absence of the system had cost him results on some occasions while benefiting him on others, but stressed that its introduction would have to be gradual and properly managed.

Mhlongo shifted the focus from technology to the quality of match officials. He identified refereeing standards as the central problem and called for officials to be professionalised, with parallel systems established so the technology was not placed in the hands of referees who were unprepared to use it.

He also addressed long-running speculation about “brown envelopes” and allegations of bribery that have affected South African soccer.

Modise was the most critical of the PSL’s refereeing standards among the panellists, saying the level of officiating had made commentating on matches uncomfortable.

He argued that South Africa was competing at higher levels, including the CAF CL and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, but that poor officiating was restricting progress.

Modise also highlighted the lack of one clearly defined oversight body for refereeing in South Africa. Responsibility is divided between SAFA and the respective associations, making it more difficult to review officials or impose sanctions.

The panel agreed that refereeing in the PSL lacks consistency. The main disagreement was whether South African soccer should first improve the league’s overall product, strengthen the role and standards of officials, or pursue both priorities according to the urgency of each issue.

That question is likely to become more pressing for the PSL as further refereeing controversies emerge.