With the PSL and SAFA close to finally bringing VAR, the professionalization of referees has become a concern, as former match official Victor Hlungwani has revealed the state the sector is in.
The popularity of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system in big leagues across Europe, has seemingly seen the exorbitant technology prioritized over making referees professional.
With VAR close to becoming a reality in the PSL, although it is unlikely to be at the beginning stages of the 2025/26 season.
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With only a handful of match officials trained to use VAR in the country, making referees professional could be delayed even further, as Hlungwane admitted that officials in the country are all "amateurs".
"When it comes to the professional level, yes, referees are amateurs. Because at one stage we were almost incorporated into professional level, the opposite house to PSL offices, where PSL do their DC, that house was bought for professional referees," Hlungwani said on Switch On Network YouTube Channel.
"It fell off, I don't know why. But you know SAFA and PSL are the ones who have to engage. But one thing that's good is that 2005, when we had 'Operation Dribble', a stipend was introduced for referees, where every month we used to get R2000. When I retired 2021 the money was good, when I wrote my resignation letter it took me five days to throw it in.
"Because hey (I thought) I'd lose all the free travelling, because you know I was doing big games, I was PSL number one but I was like, time is up, I was 46. But retiring at that state, where referees have stipends (is encouraging)," Hlungwani added.
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Referees could commit more into their profession, if they are made full professionals and the effect of it is likely to decrease glaring mistakes.
Of the referees in the PSL who have full-time jobs elsewhere, train and officiate in their spare time.
