Makwarela Development Stars have lodged a complaint with the Safa Vhembe Regional Football Association, following allegations of match fixing by the match officials.

Incidents which prompted the Stars to file a complaint with the league took place during the semi-final and final matches for the SAFA Vhembe Total Challenge Cup at the Makwarela Stadium and Univen Stadium two weeks ago.

Makwarela Development Stars lost 0-1 to United Artists in the final of the competition at the Univen Stadium on Sunday, 13 January. The referee who officiated during the final, Mr Phumudzo Munyai, was an assistant referee during the semifinal match between United Artists and Western Stars at the Makwarela Stadium the previous day.

Development Stars felt aggrieved over the referee selectors’ decision to appoint one referee to officiate for both the semifinal and final matches of the lucrative competition.

In their letter of complaint, Development Stars demanded to know from the league whether there was a shortage of competent referees, to the extent that they were forced to appoint one referee for the last two stages of the competition.

In an interview with Limpopo Mirror earlier this week, the chairperson of Development Stars, Mr Shakes Mudanalwo, stated that they did not want to complicate things by mentioning that most of Munyai’s decisions were questionable as they did not have video footage to substantiate their case. “All we want to know from the league is how they justified the selectors’ decision to appoint Munyai in the semifinal and final matches, as if the region has a shortage of referees” said Mudanalwo.

The league’s competition committee chairman, Mr Mulimisi Muneri, acknowledged that they had received an official complaint from Stars.