Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has raised concerns that some club officials are obstructing the introduction of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology in South African football.
After years of controversial and often questionable decisions from referees in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), there has been growing support from fans, coaches, and football experts for the adoption of VAR in South Africa’s top-flight league. The technology, which is already in use in prestigious leagues like the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Serie A, has also been successfully implemented in African countries such as Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia.
Last year, McKenzie revealed that the government of national unity was ready to contribute towards the cost of introducing VAR in South Africa, with a deposit to assist the South African Football Association (SAFA) in making the technology a reality. He also provided an estimate, stating that the total cost for VAR implementation would be around R80 million, with an additional R70,000 per match for its operation. However, McKenzie did not specify how much the government would contribute towards the project.
In an interview on 947 with Robert Marawa, McKenzie revealed that there were political forces at play preventing the roll-out of VAR. He pointed out that some individuals might resist the technology because of their own vested interests in maintaining corrupt or biased refereeing. “There is some politics involved where people are trying to block this thing. If you know that you benefit from corrupt referees, why would you want VAR?” McKenzie said. “If you’re involved with bribing referees, why would you push for VAR?”
Despite these challenges, McKenzie assured fans that VAR would be introduced in South Africa, and he remains committed to bringing the technology to the PSL.
“VAR must come, and I have made that promise. To show it’s not just talk, I’ve already met with the entire board of SAFA regarding VAR,” McKenzie explained. “I’ve had a full presentation to understand exactly what I’m promising. I have the costings from both SAFA and the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture.”
The Minister vowed that VAR would be in place by April this year, confirming that funding for the technology would be secured. “We can’t afford to say we can’t implement VAR. We can’t have third-division leagues in other countries using VAR while our Premier League is left behind. VAR makes players better and more honest,” he added.
McKenzie’s push for VAR in South Africa highlights a significant moment in the country’s football history, as it would enhance the integrity of the game, reduce refereeing errors, and improve the overall quality of football. However, the question remains whether some elements within the football community will allow the change to happen.
