Africa-Press – Eswatini. After all the drama that involved whistlemen in past weekends, thus fearing for their lives, local referees have reportedly tabled a 30 per cent increment in match allowances from the Eswatini Football Association.
It has been established that the whistlemen formally tabled their concerns to the football mother body during an urgent meeting convened on Tuesday at Sigwaca House.
The rigmarole that has put the referees and match officials in the spotlight emanted from concerns regarding what supporters termed lacklustre performances and inconsistency in handling matches. A source said the ‘men in black’ were demanding the increment of their match allowances from E350 to E500 per game.
“We made it clear that we want an increment in match allowances ahead of the resumption of the league games. EFA promised to work on the matter,” the source revealed.
Interestingly, it has been a while since the match officials received an increment in their pay, thus making them one of the lowest paid officials in the Confederation of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) region.
It must also be noted that a majority of referees are not in gainful employment as they solely rely on officiating in football games for their livelihood. “Referees are not properly remunerated. I think that’s the reason some of them are vulnerable.
The football mother body must act swiftly, otherwise the standard of football in the country will drop,” said the source. Reached for comment, EFA Marketing and Communications Officer Muzi Radebe said he was yet to learn about the latest correspondence.
“Nothing formal has reached our office. Unfortunately, the office has been closed for the festive holidays until next year,” Radebe said.
Meanwhile, PLE Chief Executive Officer Kenneth Makhanya said the concerns were new to him.
“This is the first time I am hearing this and it wasn’t proposed during our recent meeting,” he said.
It should be noted that in South Africa, a Premier Soccer League referee earns E6 100 while assistants get E4 700 per game, including travelling expenses, which are also covered by the money-spinning league of that country.
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