EVATON.-  Joseph Makubu (27) is the latest referee from this region to officiate in top-flight football in the PSL. Speaking to Sedibeng Ster Sport, Makubu said that when he took refereeing as his career little did he know that one day he would be officiating in the PSL.

He started officiating in the lower division Emfuleni Local Football Association (ELFA) leagues such as the Super League before going on to graduate to the SAB League and the ABC Motsepe League and, as they say, the rest is history. To make it interesting, Makubu spent only one season in ABC Motsepe League and was promoted to the PSL.

He told Sedibeng Ster Sport, that after he was invited to participate in Youth Development Program he was immediately promoted to officiate in the PSL. Makhubu said that this came as a surprise to him taking into consideration that he had only a season in ABC Motsepe League. For now, he has been appointed as a fourth match official in the DStv Premiership League matches. He believes that his time will come to make his debut in PSL as match official.

He also told Sedibeng Ster Sport that with the guidance of senior match officials like Victor Hlungwane and Victor Gomes, he has matured as a referee and that  he looked up to these two as his inspiration.
Apart from Hlungwane and Gomes, Makubu hailed veteran referee’s administrator Jack Leboko as the man behind his success, starting as a refereeing at the lower leagues.

“There is so much that I want to achieve in refereeing and with the help of these senior match officials I have no doubt that I will follow on their footsteps. For now, I will keep on working hard until my chance comes and I will grab it with both hands,” he said. Makubu concluded by saying that one of his dreams is to see himself officiating in the biggest stage in the continent, CAF games, like the referees that he mentioned.