The regional league and tournament officer of the Safa Vhembe Regional Association, Mr Mulalo Mafenya, is still battling to come to terms with what happened to him at the Makwarela Stadium last Sunday afternoon.
According to him, he proceeded to his vehicle shortly after the final whistle in the match between Joe's Express and Maweja Takers, which was staged at the stadium. Joe's Express beat Maweja 6-2. On arrival at the vehicle, a huge crowd of the fans of Mukula Young Santos FC allegedly surrounded the vehicle.
Mafenya stated that the fans demanded to know from him how the result of the match between Express and Maweja would affect their standing on the log, as Young Santos and Express were tied at eight points each. He then told them that Joe's Express would be on top of the log by virtue of goal difference.
That, according to him, was an insult to the fans of Santos and one of them allegedly started hitting him with his fists. Mafenya then drove straight to the Tshilidzini Hospital and was treated for injuries to the head and face before proceeding to the Thohoyandou police station, where he opened a case of assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (GBH).
The spokesperson for the police in Thohoyandou, Constable Avhafarei Tshiovhe, confirmed that they had arrested a man in connection with the incident. At our time of going to press on Wednesday afternoon, a 27-year-old man was still to appear in the Thohoyandou Magistrate's Court in connection with the case.