It is not easy to be a referee

Joseph Mathole of Mogapeng village near Lenyenye in the Tzaneen area was only 22 when he acquired enough knowledge and experience to start refereeing. His impressive work was soon noticed by those in high positions and subsequently got him promoted to the SAFA Mopani regional leagues. Today, at the age of 29, Mathole has seen the worst and the best as a referee. He now has a better understanding of the game than when he first started out in 2016 at the lower league clubs.

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“One thing I can tell you about this job is that it’s not that easy, you need to be able to control the game and avoid fights at all costs,” he explained. According to him, football is a game of emotions where anything can happen at any time without warning. “I learned that players are the most unpredictable ‘mafias’. A single mistake during a game can land you in a hail of punches within seconds,” he said. His survival tip is to be strict and control the game in a manner that does not risk mistakes that could potentially spark a riot on the field and result in the cancellation of the game.

He said it was detrimental to the career of any referee to have their match cancelled due to bad officiating. However, despite this, Mathole says he loves football and would like to impart his knowledge to young people one day. “I have a lot of experience and knowledge to give back to the community,” he said. Apart from refereeing, Mathole also holds down a part-time job that helps him supplement his current wage at SAFA Mopani while he waits for another promotion that would take him to the PSL league where he would earn enough to be able to look after his family wit