South African Referees Suspended Over Bribery Allegations and Misconduct
In a firm move against alleged corruption in football, the South African Football Association Vhembe region in Limpopo has suspended six match officials over accusations of bribery solicitation and other serious breaches of conduct.
The officials have each been handed four-match suspensions for various infractions, including allegedly demanding bribes and unlawfully inflating match-related fees for clubs.
FARPost has reviewed an official communication addressed to the affected referees, issued by SAFA Vhembe secretary Sam Matodzi and dated 4 May 2026.
The disciplinary cases are linked to fixtures in the provincial SAFA Hollywoodbets Men’s Regional League within the region.
According to Matodzi, the decision followed consultations with the Refereeing Sub-Committee, which found the officials guilty of violating SAFA regulations, requesting bribes, and disregarding official rulings during recent matches.
He further noted that their behaviour had “undermined the credibility of the competition and posed a serious threat to the league’s reputation.”
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SUSPENDED MATCH OFFICIALS AND THEIR OFFENCES
Khuthama Madala was penalised for his role in the match between Daniel Mubva FC and Tshikhwani Stone Breakers, with failure to properly apply the rules cited as the reason for his suspension.
Ronewa Managa received a suspension for misconduct and unprofessional behaviour during the encounter between Shonisani FC and Duthuni Try Again.
Felicia Rikhotso was also banned for four matches after being accused of overcharging teams and ignoring match rulings in the game involving Madrtias and Matangari Rising Stars.
Cyril Matela was initially suspended for allegedly requesting bribes during the fixture between Shilumani Training Academy and Ndiitwani Shooting Stars.
However, it later emerged that Matela may have been wrongly identified, as investigations revealed he was not present at the match. The association has since reversed his suspension decision.
Ronewa Sigebe and Livhuwani Mbasigidi were both suspended for failing to enforce regulations and disregarding match decisions.
The suspensions officially took effect on Monday, 4 May 2026.
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Source: Briefly News
