Sports Minister Gayton McKenzie has claimed that some club officials are hindering the implementation of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) in South African football.
After years of contentious refereeing decisions by match officials in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), there has been a significant push from fans, coaches, and pundits for the introduction of VAR in the top flight of South African football.
VAR is already utilized in various leagues around the world, including the Premier League, Bundesliga, and Serie A.
Minister of sports Gayton McKenzie on Irvan Khoza and Exco pic.twitter.com/GH0VMyIiWv
— Coach Miguel Cardoso (@maetsebane) January 18, 2025
Furthermore, countries on the African continent, such as Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia, have also successfully implemented VAR for matches in their local leagues.
Last year, McKenzie said the government of national unity was prepared to put down a deposit to help the SA Football Association implement the technology in South African football.
He also revealed that the total cost of introducing VAR in the country would be approximately R80 million, plus an additional R70,000 per game. However, he did not specify how much the government would contribute to this effort
In an interview with Robert Marawa on 947, McKenzie said there were "some politics involved" hindering the roll-out of VAR in the PSL.
"There is some politics involved where people are trying to block this thing. If you know that you benefit from referees who are corrupt, why would you want to bring VAR?
"If you know you have corrupt referees on your book, or bribe referees why would want VAR?
However, McKenzie assured South African football fans that VAR will be implemented.
“VAR must come. I have made a promise. just to show the listeners that it was not just talks. I have met the whole board of Safa regarding VAR.
“I had a full presentation to understand this thing that I have promised, what is that that I have promised, I have the costings of Safa, I have the independent costings of the department of sports, arts, and culture has done.
“I am going to bring VAR in April this year and give money (for the VAR) because you can't say we can't afford it.
"We can't have the third division of soccer having VAR in other countries but our premier league does not have VAR. VAR makes players better players and more honest players,” the Minister said.