Victor Hlungwani’s public endorsement of the claim that Siphesihle Ndlovu escaped a red card against Mamelodi Sundowns has transformed what should have been a routine officiating controversy into a formal indictment of the Betway Premiership’s integrity, and that is a line that cannot be uncrossed with three matchdays left.
The argument here is not about Ndlovu’s tackle alone—it is about the institutional silence that has allowed this crisis to fester. Daniel Cardoso, the former Kaizer Chiefs defender, first ignited the “red carpet” narrative after Orlando Pirates’ 2-1 victory over Sundowns, alleging that the league had tilted the pitch in favour of the Soweto giants. That was fan rhetoric, emotional and easily dismissed. But when a former FIFA referee of Hlungwani’s stature steps into the same arena and states, with the weight of his career, that Ndlovu was “lucky to avoid a red card,” the conversation shifts from barstool gossip to a documented failure of accountability. Hlungwani analysed the incident—a studs-up challenge that caught a Sundowns midfielder on the ankle—and concluded that the match official, who brandished only a yellow, had made an error that directly influenced the title race. The implication is damning: either the referee lacked the competence to apply Law 12, or there was an unstated deference to the home side at Loftus Versfeld. Neither option is acceptable.
The evidence on the pitch supports Hlungwani’s assessment. Replays show Ndlovu leading with his studs, making contact above the ankle, with no attempt to play the ball. Under the Premier Soccer League’s own directives on serious foul play, that is a clear red card. The alternative scenario—what happens if Ndlovu is sent off—is not hypothetical. Pirates would have played the final 35 minutes a man down against a Sundowns side that was already pushing for an equaliser. A loss or draw for Pirates would have tightened the title race significantly, possibly handing the advantage to Sundowns or Mamelodi’s rivals. Instead, Ndlovu remained on the pitch, scored the opening goal minutes later, and Pirates held on for a result that now leaves them three points clear with two matches remaining. The league’s refusal to issue any statement, much less a public acknowledgment of the error, has created a vacuum that Hlungwani’s credibility has filled. That is a dangerous precedent: when the former referees become the de facto disciplinary body, the current officiating cadre loses all authority.
The final weekend now arrives with a cloud over every pivotal decision. Every marginal call in the Pirates matches will be scrutinised not as a simple mistake but as evidence of systemic bias. Hlungwani may have intended only to educate the public, but he has inadvertently exposed the league’s lack of a transparent review mechanism. The bold verdict is this: unless the Betway Premiership releases a formal clarification on the Ndlovu incident before the final round, the 2024-25 champions—almost certainly Orlando Pirates—will be crowned under a shadow that no trophy polish can remove. The red carpet has been rolled out indeed, but it leads straight to a legitimacy crisis that will haunt the league for years.