SA referee bribed to fix 36 matches

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 15, during the Absa Currie Cup match between The Sharks and DHL Western Province from Mr Price KINGS PARK on September 15, 2012 in Durban, South Africa Photo by Steve Haag / Gallo Images

DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA - SEPTEMBER 15, during the Absa Currie Cup match between The Sharks and DHL Western Province from Mr Price KINGS PARK on September 15, 2012 in Durban, South Africa Photo by Steve Haag / Gallo Images

Published Feb 12, 2013

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Cape Town – A Vodacom League referee was bribed to fix 30 matches during the 2010/11 soccer season and another six in 2011/12, he has told the Bellville Commercial Crimes Court.

The referee, who may not be named, was testifying in aggravation of sentence in the case against former Bafana Bafana manager Phil Setshedi, who was convicted last year of match-fixing.

He that said between R3 000 and R4 500 a game would be split between him and two referee assistants.

The referee, who now works in Soweto, said he was aware of similar illegal activity there. He is one of the State’s key witnesses in prosecuting a major countrywide match-fixing ring.

Setshedi was convicted of contravening the Prevention and Combating of Corrupt Activities Act for trying to influence the outcome of a Vodacom League play-off match in Cape Town in 2011. At the time of his arrest he was involved with Mpumalanga Sevutsa Stars, who were seeking promotion to the elite and lucrative Premier League.

Also testifying in aggravation of sentence, Mlungisi Ncame, Safa’s head of security, protocol and accreditation, said that since April 2011 he had received an average of two complaints of attempted match-fixing a month.

Setshedi is to be sentenced on Tuesday.

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