How Use Of Muti Can Be Regulated After Soweto Derby Chaos

Former PSL and FIFA referee Victor Hlungwani has given an update after he wrote to the IFAB to penalise the use of muti on the ground following chaotic scenes before the start of the Soweto derby two weeks ago.

The much anticipated Soweto derby clash between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates was not only marred by the overcrowding and insufficient security at the FNB Stadium.

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But the officials from Chiefs and Pirates stole the show before the game, after they were seen at each other's throats, fighting allegedly over the use of the muti rituals.

The incident led to the warm-ups being stopped and players having to leave the pitch, which contributed to a 45-minute delay before the start of the encounter.

The two teams’ officials doing the so-called "chemical engineering" were accused of encroaching on each other’s half of the field during their warm-ups, which led to a massive backlash and fights that threatened even the security of the players.

After writing to the International Football Association Board (IFAB), Hlungwani has revealed that the football law-makers have acknowledged his letter and have referred him to the competitions committee of both the PSL and SAFA.

"Remember FIFA added new laws to the game, that when you speak to someone, hiding your mouth with your jersey or with a hand, it's a red-card. When you leave the field in protest of the referee's decision, it's a red-card," Hlungwani said on Lesedi FM's Tsa Dipapadi Sport Show.

"I thought it's the right time to write that if someone is found smearing something, it could be salt or whatever chemical engineering on the ground, he should get a red-card, so I wrote to them and also sent the video, they were not happy.

"But remember they meet every January to consider the law changes but they have acknowledged the letter, that, 'Hlungwani, speak to the competitions committee of the local league and SAFA to regulate this matter'," Hlungwani revealed.

Hlungwani suggested that IFAB will consider drafting the use of muti in their laws if the local competition committee decides to regulate the matter.

The former PSL referee is pushing for sanctions to be handed out to persons seen smearing substances on the pitch before or during the match.

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