3 May 2019 – The South African Football Association (SAFA) Referees Review Committee, has issued varying sanctions to a number of match officials.

Referee Phelelani Ndaba who disallowed a Bidvest Wits legitimate goal during their recent encounter against Supersport United after consulting with the assistant referee, will not be appointed for all National Soccer League (NSL) matches with immediate effect.

Ndaba who also failed to send off Wits’ player Haashim Domingo after the violent conduct on Supersport United’s Dean Furman, will not be appointed for three months and the SAFA Technical Committee will assign an instructor to assist him in addressing his refereeing limitations. A report will be submitted to the SAFA Referees Department on his performance in the Regional League matches before he is rehabilitated back into top flight football.

Assistant referee on the day, Abel Maphutha who advised Ndaba that the ball had not wholly crossed the goal line, will not be appointed with immediate effect for NSL matches for three months.

The Technical Department will assess Maphutha’s performance in Regional League matches before being brought back into NSL.

Another official who has been sanctioned is referee Thokozani Mkhize who has had a series of poor game-changing decisions in matches involving Golden Arrows vs Amazulu and Stellenbosch vs TS Galaxy.

Mkhize has also been demoted to the SAB/SASOL leagues and will not officiate NSL matches for the next three months.

Elphas Sitole who had poor decisions in matches involving Supersport United vs Orlando Pirates and Wits vs Black Leopards has also been hit hard as he has been removed from officiating in NSL matches for the next three months and will be monitored while handling Regional League matches.

John Landela whose performance in matches involving Tshakhuma vs Ubuntu Cape Town and Kaizer Chiefs vs Golden Arrows will not be appointed in top flight games for the next three months and will also be assessed while handling lower league games.