The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Joe McGluwa, has described spending on video assistant referee (VAR) technology as unacceptable.
Mr McGluwa said the committee had previously raised concerns about the matter and advised that, if VAR were to be implemented, it should be done in cooperation with the South African Football Association (SAFA) and the Premier Soccer League (PSL). “We warned that an ongoing process of oversight was necessary. VAR should be implemented in partnership with SAFA. The department is working in isolation, leaving SAFA and the committee exposed,” he said.
The Chairperson also noted several issues within SAFA that required accountability.
The committee was also scheduled to receive a briefing on the national football team’s performance at the recently concluded FIFA World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, where South Africa reached the round of 32 for the first time.
Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie said the absence of VAR technology is compromising South Africa’s ability to host major football events and attract leading clubs. “Tackles in the PSL are career-ending, and they are becoming increasingly prevalent. Bad refereeing is becoming the norm. VAR is not a problem, but an evolution of football in the world,” Minister McKenzie said.
He said media reports about the department requesting the return of funds were linked to the South African Football Association’s failure to respond to the department when misleading reports emerged. “I wrote to SAFA. The letters went unanswered,” he said.
Minister McKenzie said even smaller football leagues in countries such as Tanzania and Morocco had VAR, and rejected suggestions that introducing the technology in South Africa would be premature. “We are late as a country,” he said. He assured the committee that he had done everything possible to protect the public purse in relation to the matter.
Mr McKenzie also assured the committee that the 100th Comrades Marathon would take place next year, contrary to reports suggesting otherwise, and said the event would be bigger and better than ever before.
The meeting was adjourned while efforts were made to locate SAFA President Mr Danny Jordaan, who was expected to brief the committee.
Sibongile Maputi
25 August 2026
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