Kwa-Thema – Max Sibanyoni (52) is a well-known, passionate soccer referee across Kwatsaduza. Although he didn’t have a passion for soccer growing up, he enjoyed playing street soccer and watching his friends during matches.

“Growing up, my parents were too strict and did not want me to play soccer because they feared that I would get hurt,” Sibanyoni explained.

“Those hindrances made me scared to play, which is why I only participated in street football.”

His refereeing career began in the 1990s after he saw many games struggle to find a referee who could judge the match neutrally.

Sibanyoni watched his friends struggle for hours to find someone to officiate, and with their encouragement, he found the strength to learn.

“My then high school teacher, Seth Thwala, was the Springs Local Football Association (LFA) chairperson,” he said.

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“I approached him for guidance, and through his leadership, I was assisted. I officially started refereeing games in 1998.”

Sibanyoni said his friends helped him become a referee, particularly Lucky Mahlangu, who helped him understand the basics of the game.

He explained that Mahlangu would attend all his soccer matches with him, teaching him through observation.

At the beginning of his career, Sibanyoni faced challenges, noting that his biggest obstacle at first was understanding the laws of the game.

He also highlighted that in 1990s townships, including Kwa-Thema, people did not obey or understand the rules.

“Kennedy Molefe was a senior referee who knew all the laws and helped me understand them,” Sibanyoni said.

“Every time I officiated, he would guide me. Officiating without an understanding was difficult. Many teams were difficult and fought a lot. It was not easy to referee games.”

He added that football has evolved, and that refereeing courses taught him discipline and sound decision-making.

“Refereeing classes helped me grow, respect others, and understand that each game has people with different personalities. In the LFA, you need to be able to deal with different tempers and manage the game without bias,” he said.

Currently, he highlighted that some coaches still do not understand the laws of the game.

“These coaches teach and guide children, but they do not understand the rules themselves. They end up shouting and using strong language towards me. That behaviour sometimes leads players to disrespect me as well,” he said.

Some coaches do not understand why certain laws are being used, which causes tension. Those issues are normally addressed at the end of the game.”

Sibanyoni’s advice to young people who aspire to become referees is to be willing to learn and accept that officiating involves managing different personalities.

“I was trained. Do not let fear get in your way; have the will to learn and listen. To overcome fear, I moved past judgements from people who asked how I could judge games without ever playing soccer. I was undermined,” he said.

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Today, Sibanyoni serves as the commissioner of the Gauteng Development League, a position he has held since 2021, and has served the Nomndayi Community Games for the past five years.

His role is to communicate with teams, ensure the ground is well organised, confirm utilities, including ambulances and toilets, are in order, address complaints, assess referee performance, and conduct half-time talks with referees to ensure matches run smoothly.

Sibanyoni encourages women to join refereeing, saying women’s football is growing but lacks enough match officials.

“Many fear being judged, but it is important to understand that there are potential opportunities, such as scholarships,” he said.

“Many young people who joined refereeing have managed to change their lives. At school, teachers should encourage learners to join refereeing.”

He added that learners can also judge their own school matches. Those interested in learning how to referee can join the LFA refereeing classes, which take place on Mondays and Thursdays at the Kwa-Thema Sports Complex.

For enquiries, contact Sibanyoni on 083 685 3695.