Following former Premier Soccer League (PSL) referee Zolile Mthetho's evaluation of match official Luxolo Badi's decisions in Saturday's 2-1 Soweto Derby victory over Kaizer Chiefs, the refereeing controversy has become a big topic of discussion in South African football.

Exciting football, pivotal goals, and multiple disputed refereeing decisions were all part of the 31 October 2026 match at FNB Stadium, as the Buccaneers secured bragging rights against their traditional rivals.

Even though Pirates won the match, many wondered if the referees had made the right calls on several crucial occasions.

Supposedly, Mthetho thinks the first goal scored by the Pirates should have been disallowed for offside. He did, however, concede that the assistant referee had to make a split-second call due to the incident's extreme closeness.

According to the former PSL Seasonal Referee, these kinds of plays necessitate split-second judgements about which players are attacking and which are defending.

Mthetho's analysis has thrown a new wrench into the argument, especially among fans of the Kaizer Chiefs who were already doubting the accuracy of the opening goal.

Mthetho Defends His Stand on the Divisive Calls

In the 24th minute, Yanela Mbuthuma scored the first goal for the Pirates. Thapelo Mokobodi set him up with a pass. After his shot was deflected by Chiefs defender Thabo Moloisane, it found the back of the net.

Pule Mmodi scored an equaliser for the Chiefs following an error by Pirates custodian Sipho Chaine, levelling the score just before halftime.

But in the second half, Tshepang Moremi scored again, this time off a pass from Mokobodi, to put the Pirates back on top.

Some Chiefs fans questioned whether Mokobodi had been in an offside position during the build-up to the second goal, which also garnered attention.

On the other hand, Mthetho agreed with the assistant referee's call to keep the winning goal in, explaining that a teammate's play is the only time an offside call can be made.

He also looked into the incident involving Simphiwe Selepe, a midfielder for the Pirates, who was involved in a tactical foul and narrowly escaped receiving a second yellow card. Since a booking was not necessarily necessary for the challenge, the referee was free to use his discretion, as stated by Mthetho.

Exciting Debate Awaits Chiefs and Pirates Fans

The scandal has ratcheted up the tension in one of the most heated rivalries in South African football.

After the loss, Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz criticised the refereeing, saying that his team should have won the match because they had chances to do so before the Pirates did.

The victory was yet another significant triumph for Pirates in their rivalry with their Soweto opponents. Recovering from the setback and getting ready for their upcoming fixtures are now the priorities for Chiefs.

However, the comments made by Mthetho show how scrutinising refereeing decisions are when the top two clubs in the country meet.

Discussions about Badi's performance will undoubtedly persist long after the final whistle has sounded, as supporters carry on debating the crucial incidents.

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