Three referees affiliated with SAFA Vhembe have been suspended, following allegations of match-fixing and accepting bribes to influence the outcome of matches.
The allegations relate to a SAFA Vhembe match played on 11 May, where Vuwani United Sports Academy came up against Masakona Real Citizens. The three match officials allegedly approached the owner of Real Citizens to solicit a R1,800 bribe in return for ruling in their favour.
Real Citizens are tied with Mashau Pull Together on points in Stream F. They are on the verge of qualifying for the regional Champ of Champs, which will determine which teams go to the provincial playoffs to gain promotion to the SAFA Limpopo ABC Motsepe League.
The association has placed the trio, Percy Murei and his assistant referees Rivhathihi Malima and Vhuhwavho Mathuli, on suspension with immediate effect. They are set to appear before the region's referees' disciplinary committee.
When the matter was reported to SAFA Vhembe, the association sent two members to investigate. The owner of Real Citizens allegedly recorded the trio making the demands on his phone but refused to pay the bribe.
The secretary of SAFA Vhembe, Mr. Sam Matodzi, confirmed that the association had suspended the three referees from participating in league activities after allegations of misconduct. "Our football matches should not be decided in the gambling market but on the football field. It is for this reason that SAFA Vhembe has decided to tackle match-fixing and unethical conduct head-on by imposing a zero-tolerance policy," he said.
Matodzi added that SAFA Vhembe had opted for a combined repressive and preventative approach, comprising a wide range of actions and measures. "We once more appeal to all our teams to report any sign of attempted match fixing and unethical conduct immediately," he said.