Varsity Sports caught up with young referee, Fezile Mhlophe, who hails from Soweto. Mhlophe is only 16-years-old but he’s already well on his way to achieving his goals, after not only officiating in the Varsity Football tournament but also taking charge in the Multichoice Diski Challenge.
Fezile Mhlophe is currently in grade 11 at E’mdeni Secondary School in Emndeni, Soweto. The subjects that currently occupy his attention at school are Economics, Physical Sciences, Mathematics, English, Life Orientation, Zulu, Accounting and Business Studies.
The youngster is breaking the mold of refereeing, opting to officiate while thousands choose to play.
“I used play, actually,” said Mhlophe, “as a striker for my local club, but I then realised that we weren’t being well looked after as players in my region, so I opted to try something different in 2011, in the form of officiating games instead of playing.”
Mhlophe was not only a young soccer player in his younger years; he participated in commentating prior to becoming a referee, during the slightly bigger tournaments in his community.
Another obstacle that forced him off the football pitch, was the fact that Mhlophe was diagnosed with cancer and hospitalised for about nine months. He eventually overcame this battle with cancer miraculously and returned with a different mindset.
Upon his return he began chasing his dream of being a referee by taking up the qualifying courses for officials. “After my nine-month stay in hospital, I decided I was going to go out and become a referee. A few people in my community helped me a lot in achieving this, because I now hold a SAFA Level Three officiating certificate and will soon be writing my Level Four,” Mhlophe said.
After officiating in last season’s Multichoice Diski Challenge, Mhlophe only had good things to say about Varsity Football. “I feel Varsity Football is a great tournament that gives young people like us a great opportunity in life, as well as giving the students an opportunity to take their minds off their books a bit, and stretch their legs.
“The tournament furthermore helps the development of the country’s soccer,” he added.
So while Varsity Football stars dazzle and entertain, don’t forget to keep an eye out for Fezile Mhlophe in the future. The young man is tough as nails and has his mind set on officiating matches at levels as high as the World Cup and CAF. And eventually, he plans to join the panel of referees in the PSL.
By Sifiso Nyawo
