Football fans and public figures raised their concerns over the weekend, in the MTN8 Quarterfinals that took place on Saturday and Sunday.

The fans and public figures took to their social media platforms and called for the introduction of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR), as they believe there is a poor referee crisis at SAFA. This started after there were claims about the match between Moroka Swallows and Orlando Pirates, claims that the penalty that was given to Orlando Pirates in the 30^th minute wasn’t a penalty.

Again on Sunday after the match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs which resulted into a penalty shootout. The football fans took it to their media platforms, to criticize the linesman who was on duty monitoring the penalty shootout.

The four penalties that were saved by Kennedy Mweene (Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper) deserved to be retaken as the keeper was off his line for each one of them. Same applies to Lyle Lakay’s penalty that was saved by Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper), camera replays shows that the penalty kicked by Lakay was a goal as it crossed the goal line.

Fans claims that the referee was slumbering on duty as he was 5 metres away from the shootout but couldn’t see the mistakes that goalkeepers made.

Floyd Shivambu(Deputy President of the EFF) is one of those who took it to social media to express his thoughts. “Tough Luck @Kaizer Chiefs The @OfficialPSL should expedite the usage of VAR System in SA football to avoid some of the embarrassing mistakes that took place of disallowed legitimate goals and Goalkeepers who leave the goal line before the penalty’s taken.” he tweeted.

In a brief meeting that the Premier Soccer League held earlier, the Chairperson of the PSL Dr Irvin Khoza, opened up on calls for the introduction of VAR. “There are certain elements of the VAR System, one of them is  are video assistant referee, virtual offside line and goal-line technology. Now is the issue of phasing it in, which comes first.” Said Khoza.