Durban – Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has met the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Premier Soccer League bosses in his quest to introduce Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology to local football.
The sports minister has even been in contact with the team that brought VAR to the English Premier League.
Commenting on the matter on Friday, (4 October 2024), Minister McKenzie gave an update on X (formerly Twitter) saying: “Great work has been done by both SAFA and PSL in making VAR a possibility.
“We spoke to both Dr. Danny Jordaan & Dr. Khoza, I went through the presentation & finance required. I was also contacted by the team that brought VAR to the English Premier League.
“We will soon report in detail.”
Minister Mckenzie’s quest for VAR technology to be used in local football was prompted by controversy surrounding Mamelodi Sundowns’ 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs.
Sundowns scored a goal that was deemed to be offside by many, while Chiefs’ last-minute equaliser was not given due to a foul that occurred before Edson Castillo scored the goal for Amakhosi in the weekend Betway Premiership game.
There was significant outrage on social media with many criticising Referee Skhumbuzo Gasa.
African Nation Congress Secretary General, Fikile Mabalula, posted on X: “Officiating at Sundowns [VS] Chiefs game was not good at all yesterday”.
Minister McKenzie also took to X to voice his frustration, posting: “We need VAR, and we need it now, those meetings start now because we are not a 10th-world country.
“I shall report back soonest after meeting SAFA and the PSL this week”.
The minister has given the first update, which indicates VAR may soon be used in local football matches.
