SAFA election candidate promises VAR as refereeing controversy deepens

Refereeing decisions have again become a major talking point at the start of the new season, with a disputed penalty call in the match between Richards Bay FC and Polokwane City prompting renewed scrutiny of match officials.

Sandile Zungu, a candidate for the SAFA presidency and president of AmaZulu FC, has promised to fast-track the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology if he is elected in September.

The latest controversy occurred as Richards Bay FC searched for a late equaliser against Polokwane City. The ball struck a Polokwane City player inside the penalty area, leading to an appeal for handball. Referee Moreki Lekwape initially signalled for a corner kick.

After the home side protested, Lekwape consulted his assistant. The decision was then overturned and a penalty appeared to have been awarded. However, as the referee moved towards the penalty spot, he received a message through his earpiece telling him not to award the penalty and to give a corner instead.

The source of that instruction was not immediately clear. It was initially assumed that the intervention had come from the fourth official, but the fourth official was not seen checking the incident on a monitor on the touchline.

The confusion created disorder at Umhlathuze Sports Complex, where Richards Bay’s hopes of securing an equaliser were affected by the reversal. Polokwane City, also known as Rise and Shine, went on to win the match 2-1.

Richards Bay chairman Jomo Biyela was seen confronting Lekwape on the pitch after the final whistle, underlining the anger surrounding the decision.

The incident has added to concerns that little has changed in the standard of refereeing despite the beginning of a new campaign. Fans, players and coaches have continued to express frustration at decisions they consider controversial.

The debate over the use of VAR has therefore returned to the centre of attention in South African football. Zungu’s pledge to accelerate the technology’s introduction places officiating reform among the issues likely to feature prominently in the SAFA presidential race.

It remains unclear how the incident at Umhlathuze Sports Complex was managed and why the decision changed after Lekwape had consulted his assistant. The SAFA refereeing department could not be reached for comment at the time this report was compiled.

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