AThe standard of refereeing in the country has come under heavy fire lately following a bucketload of poor decisions since the start of the season.
With Victor Gomes out of the country on assignment at the FIFA U17 World Cup in Brazil, the experienced Victor Hlongwane looks like the only capable candidate to man the whistle when Kaizer Chiefs battle Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
However, SAFA should probably appoint Akhona Makalima to become the first female referee to officiate in the Soweto Derby.Makalima is currently in the FIFA panel and is highly respected in the continent.
Former referee Ace Ngcobo believes Makalima has all the attributes to officiate in the biggest fixture on the local football calendar, which is sold out.
“With all the problems we have in terms of officiating, I would go for Akhona Makalima. Maybe we need that motherly voice to calm down the situation,” Ngcobo tells KickOff.com.
“She has a good head on her shoulders. She is calm on the field of play. She has got high respect from the players. She is a strong woman.
“She can perform better than some of the cowards. Some of the mistakes that have been happening is because of cowardice. The officiating has been unpredictable. Probably Akhona can handle it [the Soweto Derby] better.
“With Victor Gomes out of the country with the under-17 World Cup, Victor Hlongwane remains the only experienced referee that can handle the Soweto Derby on Saturday.
Image (FIFA appointed female referee Akhona Makalima has been punted as an ideal character to officiate in the hotly contested PSL clash- Soweto derby on Saturday at FNB Stadium).
