Match fixing allegations put a stop to POLFA play-offs

THE Polokwane Local Football Association (Polfa) play-offs came to a disastrous end on Sunday, with the referee getting assaulted and liquor being poured all over his body and some of the supporters leaving with blood flowing from their heads as they were hit with beer bottles and stones.

Hot Beans Sports Ground at Ngwanamago village in Ga-Mothiba near Ga-Maja was supposed to be the venue for the crowning of the Polfa winner, but it instead turned into a battle field when Tau Tau FC supporters overpowered the assistant referee and invaded the pitch, where they assaulted the referee who was officiating the championships decider between Mantheding Heroes and Mankga Junior Chiefs.

Tau Tau, Mantheding Heroes and Mankga Junior Chiefs played against each other in a round-robin format to determine the winner.

Tau Tau played to a 0-0 draw against Mantheding Heroes and hammered Junior Chiefs 3-0, a score line which put them at the summit of the mini league with four points and three goals.

When it was time for Mantheding Heroes to lock horns with Junior Chiefs, the former did not waste any time before putting the ball at the back of the net, resulting in a 3-0 score to Heroes before half-time. What looked like easy goals, with one of them being scored from the penalty spot, which angered Tau Tau supporters, who claimed that Junior Chiefs players allowed Heroes to score goals “freely” so that Heroes could be crowned champions due to a better goal difference.

Chaos then erupted and the match was abandoned before half-time. Polfa chairperson, Jacky Mogashoa, said it was wrong for any team to interrupt a match and said the disciplinary committee would evaluate what happened and make its findings.

“I cannot say anything at this stage because we want the disciplinary committee to do its job. What happened was wrong and should be discouraged with the contempt it deserves,” said Mogashoa.

Tau Tau public relations officer, Wire Malahlela denied that they stopped the match, saying: “Our supporters were singing vulgar songs and that scared the assistant referee”.

Malahlela said the game was stopped due match fixing. “An amount of R1 000 was given to Mankga Junior Chiefs officials by Heroes officials so that Heroes could score more than three goals.

“It angered us because they boasted about it, but we insist that we did not stop any match,” Malahela said.

Asked what the club’s response would be at the disciplinary hearing, Malahlela said Tau Tau was not hauled before any committee and was only going to a meeting on Monday where they would lodge a formal complaint.

“Everybody knows that Tau Tau is the best club and the most disciplined team. We have never been fined for any wrongdoing. Tau Tau did not stop the match,” Malahlela insisted.

The owner of Mantheding Heroes, Freddy Mogale said the club would abide by Polfa’s decision. He said he was focussed on developing talent and he wanted to see justice done.

He denied knowledge about the alleged R1 000 his club paid to Junior Chiefs to score more than three goals.